Bald eagles 'fooling around' at Cootes

Birdwatchers want to know if bald eagles with a new nest in Cootes Paradise plan to raise a family this year or are just fooling around.

With their nest hidden nine or 10 storeys up in a white pine tree on the north shore of the Cootes marsh, no one has been able to confirm if there are eggs or not.

"It seems they're just playing house," said Jody Allair, a Bird Studies Canada biologist in Port Rowan.

That wouldn't be unusual, he said. "It might be a practice nest. It's common for a pair to give it a try, figure things out. Hopefully next year they will nest. If they're bonding and building a nest, that's all good. It looks great for next year."