Bald Eagles Nesting In Brick, And Save Barnegat Bay Wants You To See Them

BRICK, NJ -- A couple of bald eagle nests have captured the attention of webcam watchers in recent weeks.

Save Barnegat Bay says there's a nest here at the Jersey Shore -- right in Brick Township. And with the public's help, the organization would like to install a camera that will allow web viewers to keep tabs on any eaglets the resident eagles raise.

"We want the world to know about it," said Britta Wenzel, executive director of Save Barnegat Bay.

Wenzel said the organization hopes to raise enough money to place a live-feed video camera on the nest to stream on the Save Barnegat Bay website as an educational tool -- which it also hopes will help its larger mission of restoring and protecting the Barnegat Bay ecosystem.

To raise the money for the webcam project, Save Barnegat Bay is participating in the OceanFirst 20th Anniversary Charity Challenge on the Crowdrise fundraising website.

Wenzel said they have estimated it will cost $50,000 for permits, equipment, software and other items needed for the project.

The Crowdrise fundraiser begins April 20 and runs until May 18 and is sponsored by the OceanFirst Foundation.

"Save Barnegat Bay has been working to restore and protect the beautiful Barnegat Bay and its ecosystem for 45 years," Wenzel said. "We want to build on our success by bringing nature into your living room and classrooms around the estuary."

Wenzel said the organization doesn't know whether there are chicks this year, but supplied a photo of two adult eagles and two fledglings from a prior year on the nest.

"We are hoping to gain the appropriate permissions and funds to secure a camera on America’s national symbol to help educate homeowners and visitors on the majesty of the wildlife that call Barnegat Bay their home," she said.