New camera offers bird's-eye view of eagle nest at U.S. Steel plant
There's a new camera above the bald eagle nest at U.S. Steel's Irvin Plant in West Mifflin.
A tree climber went up to the nest and installed the new camera on Saturday. It looks straight down into the nest, giving viewers a bird's-eye view of the happenings inside.
The camera captured video of Irvin and Claire making "nestorations," which seems to mostly involve the eagles moving sticks around. The tree climber measured their nest at an impressive 6 feet by 5 feet.
Bald eagles are known for their giant nests, which are made of large tree branches, plant stalks, sticks and other organic materials. The Audubon Society says bald eagles hold the Guinness World Record for the largest bird nest. The record-setter was built in St. Petersburg, Florida, measuring 20 feet wide by 10 feet tall.
Eagle nests may be reused and added to for years, the Audubon Society says, which is one of the reasons they can get so big.
While this year was the sixth season for dad Irvin at the nest, mom Stella replaced Claire, who left the nest late last year. Irvin and Stella laid three eggs, but only Ocho hatched in March.
The appropriately-named Ocho is the eighth eaglet to hatch at the U.S. Steel nest. The nest was built along the Monongahela River in 2019, and a wildlife camera has been livestreaming the family since 2021.