I made a pilgrimage to see the most-recently discovered eagle nest and wound up learning about more.  Starting in Groveport, I glimpsed the 3-Creeks nest with 1 adult, then followed Big Walnut Creek down to the Scioto River, looking for eagles and eventually finding one down at Mackey Ford on the Scioto.  While watching this bird soar over St. 762, I talked to State Wildlife Officer Ken Bebout, who mentioned the locations of several more confirmed and alleged nests along the Scioto.  It seems that Bald Eagle territories are sprouting like weeds now.  As the OBBA2 coordinator for this area, I suddenly face the pleasant prospect of having multiple blocks with nesting eagles.

When I looked at the map. the eagle nests had a very neat distribution that suggests where to look for more territories.  I'll list off the territories/nests that are known so far:

1. Columbus quarries - just north of St. 104 next to the Scioto, and south of the major confluence of the Olentangy and Scioto rivers in downtown Columbus.

2. 3-Creeks - along Big Walnut Creek just south of the confluence area, where Alum Creek & Blacklick Creek join it.

3. Shadeville - nest near where the Scioto crosses between Franklin & Pickaway Counties, near the confluence with Big Walnut Creek

4. Little Walnut - along the Scioto near Cooks Creek Golf Club, around where Walnut Creek enters the Scioto.  The nest here was blown down over the winter, but the birds are still in the area and will likely re-build

5. Florence Chapel Rd - not confirmed, but reported from this road near the junction of Big Darby Creek with the Scioto

6. North of Chillicothe - not far from the county line between Pickaway and Ross Counties, and near where Deer Creek comes into the Scioto.

I think my descriptions have given the game away.  Most of these nests are sited within a mile of a major river confluence.  Think about where you see eagles here: they are almost invariably flying along the river or creek, probably cruising for fish or anything else that the waterways offer up.  A confluence means increased hunting areas, an important consideration for a nesting pair with a hungry brood to raise. It's a simple idea, and it predicts where else we might expect nesting territories hereabouts, like just south of Chillicothe (where Paint Creek joins the Scioto) or down near Piketon (where the Teays Valley joins in).  Even north of Columbus probably follows this pattern, and we might predict nests near Bellepoint (on the Scioto) or Galena (at the north end of Hoover Reservoir).  Anyway you look at it, we're witnessing a major local change in eagle distribution.  Keep your eyes open!

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