JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – A natural landmark along Menoher Boulevard – an oak tree in which two bald eagles nested – was toppled by strong winds this week.
But signs in the skies indicate both birds survived the storm, Pennsylvania Game Commission officials said.
Game Warden April Whitsell said she spent several hours at the Southmont Borough site after the tree fell, searching the area for signs of life.
She found the nest and a few adult feathers, but there were no initial signs of eggs, remains or injured eaglets nearby, she added.
The Southmont treetop nest became a popular draw, particularly among birding enthusiasts and photographers, ever since the eagles were first spotted nesting up high in 2022 or 2023.
“They’re such an amazing bird,” said Phyllis Terchanik, a Johnstown Camera Club member who has been photographing bald eagles for a decade across Cambria County.
Terchanik was pleased to hear the adult eagles were still being spotted in the area – and said it’s possible that they have multiple nests.
From her years taking photographs of bald eagles at Prince Gallitzin State Park near Patton, she said, it’s likely they won’t go far to build a new nest. She recalled one pair that lost their nest two years in a row, but rebuilt in the same old tree before it broke in half.
“Why they choose one tree over a similar (and healthier tree) nearby, who knows?” she said. “But they are beautiful to watch.”
Whitsell also said it’s quite possible the bald eagles will nest nearby, given the fact the habitat has shown to support them. They’re opportunists, she said.
The nest the pair often occupied near Menoher Boulevard was once a hawk nest that they modified, Whitsell added. They settled there because the region’s improved waterways are filled with fish and other aquatic life they need to thrive.
There are also several other nests across the Greater Johnstown area, although typically less visible or on private property.
“It’s a great sign for our area,” she said.