One of the eaglets living in the Harmar nest has gone the way of his two cousins in Hays and is preparing to leave the roost.
The eaglet, one of two in Harmar, took its first flight from its nest high above Route 28 about 12:30 p.m. Tuesday, according to the Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania.
The two bald eaglets in Pittsburgh's Hays neighborhood took their first flights about three weeks ago.
A second eaglet is still at the Harmar nest and is expected to fledge within days.
The Harmar eaglets hatched in early April, about three weeks after the Hays pair.
This is the third nesting season at the site for the pair, which raised one eaglet in 2014.
Apparently, there is a bumper crop of well-raised, healthy eaglets in the region this year.
The Hays and Harmar nests produced four healthy eaglets that will stay with their parents for a while this summer as they hone their hunting and flight skills, and get meals from their parents.
The older birds will eventually shoo their young from their nesting territory.
Last year, both nests came up empty as the eggs did not hatch, possibly because of extremely cold temperatures and the inexperience of both couples, according to the Audubon Society
There are four pairs of bald eagles nesting in Allegheny County. The other nests are in Crescent Township near the Ohio River and just outside McKeesport along the Youghiogheny River.
Mary Ann Thomas is a Tribune-Review staff writer. She can be reached at 724-226-4691 or mthomas@tribweb.com.
