A Northeast Dallas community near White Rock Lake is heartbroken after a bald eagles’ nest fell to the ground.
We’re told Tuesday's high winds are to blame for breaking a limb and causing the nest to fall from the cottonwood tree where they’d made their home. For weeks, people came from all over the Metroplex to get a glimpse of the birds, which were affectionately named Nick and Nora.
A crowd gathered Tuesday evening in disbelief.
“I came out to check on them because I hadn’t this week. At least one of them was in the nest and then another one was perched nearby. And then a loud boom. I looked up again, they were flying around erratically. Looked for the nest, and the nest was gone,” said birder, Heavenly Dew. “My heart is broken.”
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Wildlife experts said there was at least one egg in the nest when it fell.
What remains of the nest is now in possession of the state game warden
“The best we can hope is that they’ll come back next year, and the nesting will be successful and next year we’ll have eagle babies,” said Dew.
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Dallas Parks and Recreation had put up signs warning visitors of the sensitive bird nesting area. Onlookers were asked to keep their distance with reminders that the eagles are protected, and disturbance could result in a $100,000 fine.
Brett Johnson with Dallas Park and Recreation said they’d been monitoring the nest since last October.
“This nest always presented us with a challenge. It wasn’t the best location for a nest,” said Johnson. “We’ve got a number of dead trees that we were already looking at that we’ve had to hold off maintenance on. We’re going to hold off and see what they decide to do, but obviously, the eagles are going to be the ones to tell us whether they decide to move on or re-nest in this area.”
The nest was located on the east side of White Rock Lake.
