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Bald eagles seen around Southwest Ohio

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By Ryan Cook and Jessica Heffner, Staff Writers 12:01 PM Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Lebanon residents this week have spotted a bald eagle flying and perched in trees in the city.

No nest has been discovered in Lebanon, but it is the second time in the past week a bald eagle has been seen in southwest Ohio. A nest was recently found in Butler County.

Nancy Johnson of Lebanon was at home Sunday morning when her brother called her saying he had seen a bald eagle flying around Ohio 123 and Markey Road. Johnson grabbed her camera and rushed to the scene but had to search for the bird. She found it perched in a tree and took several photographs.

"It was definitely a bald eagle," Johnson said. "There's no doubt in my mind."

Johnson said she used to live in Columbus and saw them often.

Rick Rogers, Ohio Dept. of Natural Resources Wildlife officer, said it is rare to see a bald eagle in this part of the state but not impossible for them to be here. He said he has not seen one in Warren County for about two years.

Rogers said he is more surprised about the eagle's presence considering the time of year and the location. Eagles eat fish, so it would be more likely to see one near a body of water. Eagles are typically nesting right now as well.

In Butler County, the first bald eagle's nest in the county's history was found in Ross Twp., according to Brett Beatty, assistant wildlife management supervisor for ODNR Wildlife.

The nest is situated near the Great Miami River about 30 feet up in a cottonwood tree on private property at Martin Marietta Materials, an aggregate company in Ross Twp. The nest is about "the size of a Volkswagen" at about six feet wide and two or three feet deep, Beatty said.

While other large raptors have been spotted in the area, wildlife officials said they are certain this nest belongs to the bald eagles.

"We saw two eagles in the area and one was physically in the nest so we are pretty sure," said Aaron Ireland, wildlife officer for Butler County.

Reggie Woods, a lab technician with Martin Marietta, said he has seen the birds hunting in the area.

"I got some binoculars to watch them. They are just beautiful," he said.

The eagles are about 4 to 5 years old. The birds are expected to lay between one to three eggs in the nest between the end of February and early April, officials said. The pair should return to the nest for years to come, Ireland said.

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