Bald Eagles Return To Dulles Greenway Wetlands In Loudoun To Build Nest For Season

LOUDOUN COUNTY, VA — Two American bald eagles have returned to a wetlands area along the Dulles Greenway in Loudoun County to begin building their nest for the season, according to the owners of the private toll road.

The bald eagles typically arrive at their nest between 7 a.m. and 8 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Once the bald eagles have finished preparing their nest, they will move to the next stage in the nesting process, which is to begin laying eggs and incubating them, Toll Road Investors Partnership II L.P., owner of the Dulles Greenway, said Thursday.

According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the bald eagles are scheduled to start laying their eggs in January. A mated pair of American bald eagles has lived in the Dulles Greenway Wetlands for more than 15 years.

The Dulles Greenway Wetlands were established by TRIP II in 1995, in an effort to mitigate the loss of 64 acres of federally protected wetlands. The private 149-acre Dulles Greenway Wetlands is managed by the Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy and used primarily for wildlife education. The area is located south of the Dulles Greenway, near the Ashburn Village Blvd. exit.

In September, the Dulles Greenway partnered with the American Eagle Foundation, along with the Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy and HDonTap to install two high-definition livestream cameras on a tree overlooking the bald eagles’ nest.

The livestream cameras are now available for viewers on the Dulles Greenways website. The site features a moderated chat function that allows viewers to comment and ask questions about the bald eagles.

“We look forward to welcoming eaglets in spring 2022 and we are thrilled to share this experience with our local community,” Terry Hoffman, public and customer relations manager for the Dulles Greenway, said in a statement Thursday.

Starting in mid-October, both the male and the female eagle began adding to the nest together. The pair uses interwoven sticks to add to the nest structure and arrange them within the nest.

The interior is usually lined with grass, corn stalks and other material. The bowl is usually filled with soft materials, including moss, which may serve as an insect repellent, and the downy feathers from adults.

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