Will County forest preserves now have 4 eagle nests with eggs
Will County Forest Preserve District officials are monitoring four eagle nests with eggs, the first time the district has noted four active nests on preserve property.
Officials say the hatchlings, with an incubation period of about 35 days, will arrive about March 23 for one nest and about a week later for the other three, according to Joel Craig, a Will County Audubon member and forest preserve volunteer.
Forest district officials are watching the nests, collecting data and monitoring how many of the eggs hatch, a news release said. The district will report the number of eaglets to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which keeps tabs on the overall eagle population.
Bald eagle nests typically measure 4 to 5 feet wide and 2 to 4 feet deep and can weigh up to 1,000 pounds, a news release said. Nests are reused each year, and bald eagles typically lay one to three eggs. One of the nests has produced 11 offspring since 2019, officials said.
The district is not revealing the location of the nests so they can protect the birds. Eagles and their nests are federally protected, and human interference could cause the eagles to abandon the nests and their eggs, officials said.
Anyone who finds a nest should stay at least 330 feet away, according to National Audubon Society recommendations.
Anita Thomas, president of North Central College in Naperville, will be one of the featured panelists at a free Women’s History Month forum being held by the city of Naperville and NCC on March 23 at the Madden Theatre in the Wentz Concert Hall. (North Central College)
Naperville, NCC holding leadership forum for Women’s History Month
The city of Naperville and North Central College will host a free forum in honor of Women’s History Month at 2 p.m. Saturday, March 23 in the Madden Theatre at Wentz Concert Hall, 171 E. Chicago Ave.
“Coming Together to Lead Well: A Community Conversation” features a panel of distinguished women who will share their experiences as well as hold an interactive dialogue with the audience. The program supports the city’s mission to create an inclusive community that values diversity, city officials said in a news release.
The panel will include Anita Thomas, president of North Central College; Becca Bruner, co-pastor of Knox Presbyterian Church; and Anita Knotts, founder and chief executive officer of the Lotus Women’s Institute.
Additional panelists are Nicole Lawton, librarian at Naperville Public Library; Joohi Tahir, co-founder and executive director of Muhsen, a nonprofit that helps adults and children with disabilities; and Diana Torres Hawken, co-founder of Alliance of Latinos Motivating Action in the Suburbs (ALMAS).
Audience participation is encouraged. A reception will be held after the discussion.
Register to attend at naperville.il.us/embrace-community.
