Spotted nesting in a tree in north Orange County are two adult bald eagles and at least two eaglets.
The adult female eagle is named La’i, which can mean calm or quiet in Hawaiian. We know that from the bright blue tag (or patagial marker, if you’re up on your aviation lingo) on her wing, with the number 85 on it.
La’i was banded in 2013 in Santa Rosa Island, said Dr. Peter Sharpe of the Institute for Wildlife Studies. She’s part of IWS’s long-term bald eagle restoration project, which has reintroduced bald eagles to Southern California, including on Catalina Island and the Channel Islands. And she’s been spotted in Orange County before.
A bald eagle brings a fish to the eaglets in the nest high in a tree in northern Orange County on Friday, March 15, 2024. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
A bald eagle brings a fish to the eaglets in the nest high in a tree in northern Orange County on Friday, March 15, 2024. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
A bald eagle sits in a nest high in a tree close to its eaglet in northern Orange County on Monday, March 18, 2024. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
A bald eagle feeds its eaglet in a nest high in a tree in northern Orange County on Monday, March 18, 2024. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
A bald eagle lifts off from its nest high in a tree in northern Orange County on Monday, March 18, 2024. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
A bald eagle soars off a branch in its nesting tree on a windy afternoon in northern Orange County on Thursday, March 14, 2024. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
A bald eagle lifts off from a nest high and on to a nearby branch high in a tree in northern Orange County on Thursday, March 14, 2024. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
A bald eagle sits on a branch near its nest high in a tree in northern Orange County on Monday, March 18, 2024. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
A pair of bald eagles stay close to their nest high in a tree in northern Orange County on Thursday, March 14, 2024. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
A bald eagle leaves a branch it was perched on in its nesting tree on a windy afternoon in northern Orange County on Thursday, March 14, 2024. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
A bald eagle returns to the nest high in a tree on a windy afternoon in northern Orange County on Thursday, March 14, 2024. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
A bald eagle lifts off from a nest high in a tree on a windy afternoon in northern Orange County on Thursday, March 14, 2024. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
A bald eagle lands on a branch near its nest high in a tree in northern Orange County on Monday, March 18, 2024. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
A bald eagle sits in a nest high in a tree close to its eaglet in northern Orange County on Monday, March 18, 2024. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Sharpe estimates about 100 bald eagles are living around Southern California today, from Santa Barbara County down to San Diego, Sharpe said, both on the mainland and islands. And they seem to be increasing naturally, he said.
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Bald eagles can make their nests within 200 miles from where they hatch — and sometimes even further, said Sharpe. They generally make nests near water sources, such as lakes or rivers, since their main foods are water-oriented prey such as fish or ducks. This nest is near the Santa Ana River and other manmade water sources.
Typically, once the eggs have hatched, the adult female eagle will stay at the nest most of the time while the male brings in food, according to Sharpe.
If you see the birds — the Register is not disclosing the exact location of the nest so that the bald eagles will not be disturbed, and the tree is located on private property — give them space, at least a few hundred yards, said Sharpe. Don’t stand directly under the tree and look up at the nest; that tends to make the adult eagles nervous, Sharpe said.
