The state game commission has done a lot of work to increase the bald eagle population in Pennsylvania.

It’s been a drama playing out for eagle watchers in Pennsylvania

 “This female appears to have done what we call a nest takeover.” said Karen Lippy, an avid eagle watcher.

A female eagle, named “liberty” by viewers of the eagles nest cam at Codorus State Park, laid two eggs last month, but a few days ago it appeared another female named “Lucy”, was trying to take over. Liberty has now disappeared. 

“She’s been missing for several days,” says Lippy. 

The  communications director for the Pennsylvania Game Commission, Travis Lau, says there’s been some unexpected turn of events at the nest cam. 

But strangely, this, may be a good sign for eagles in Pennsylvania.

 “It’s a positive thing, how far we’ve come with the bald eagle restoration,” says Lau.

35 years ago,iin 1983, bald eagles were almost a thing of the past in the state. Only three nests were in the entire state.

Lau adds that they were all in the same county too. He says a number of factors contributed to the low population, namely the use of pesticides, which thin their egg shells. That’s when the game commission, among other agencies went to Canada and brought eagles back to the northeast United States.

“Now we have so many, we can’t accurately count the nests,” says Lau.

There are at least 250 nests in Pennsylvania currently. Lau praises the help of other’s stepping in at a critical time in the bald eagles’ history for the success.

The game commission has a live camera of the bald eagles nest at Codorus State Park in York county on their website.