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Updated 48 minutes ago
High winds took out the Hays eagle nest about 9:45 p.m. Sunday, according to the Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania.
There are unconfirmed reports that the birds survived the apparent downing of the tree, according to Rachel Handel, Audubon spokeswoman.
The nest was located on a steep, wooded bluff high above the Monongahela River.
One of the birds was sitting on an egg when the tree was hit by high winds, according to Bill Powers, CEO of PixController, the Murrysville company that worked with the Pennsylvania Game Commission four years ago to install the Hays webcam, the state's first webcam on an eagle nest.
The Hays birds are the first pair of bald eagles to nest in the city limits of Pittsburgh in more than 150 years. This was their fifth nesting season with one egg laid on Friday.
“This is disappointing, but it's a part of nature,” said Jim Bonner, executive director of the Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania. “If the birds are okay, they will likely stay in the area and nest again.”
But the birds likely won't have the time to rebuild a new nest this season, he said. The Hays eagles' first nest also was destroyed by high winds after the birds had nested, and they rebuilt a new nest quickly in the same area.
Audubon representatives will head to the nest site early Monday to access the damage.
The goings on at the Hays nest over the past four years drew millions of viewers and attracted much local and national media attention.
“The Hays eagle webcam brought awareness to the health of the wildlife recovery in Pittsburgh,” Powers said.
The former smoky city seemed to be an unlikely area for bald eagles to nest. But the birds have found the cleaner rivers with abundant fish attractive in Hays and in Harmar, where a pair is in its fourth year of nesting above busy Route 28.
Audubon and PixController has a webcam at that site, and the birds are expected to start laying eggs later this month.
The Hays webcam is still intact.
“I have no doubt the eagles will rebuild,” Powers said. “Hopefully, we will get a cam in there.”
Mary Ann Thomas is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach her at mthomas@tribweb.com.
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