Pittsburg, PA
Signs of hope that Pittsburgh’s Hays bald eagles could rebuild nest
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) – All eyes are on Pittsburgh’s iconic Hays bald eagles, and anxiety is high as their biggest fans wait to see if the majestic pair rebuilds their nest that collapsed during a storm last year.
The Hays eagles usually welcome new eggs in their nest in mid-February. Many people are wondering if they will reconstruct their nest in time for the upcoming breeding season.
But with time running out for the birds, the experts are seeing new signs of hope.
“We’ve been seeing a lot of activity with the pair on the hillside within the last couple of weeks, which is a really good sign that there could be potential nesting,” said Bill Powers, president and owner of PixCams Inc.
The eagles have been seen chasing away intruders on the live-streamed nest camera that’s provided by PixCams and the Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania.
A few days ago, the eagle pair was seen on camera chasing a young eagle perched on their tree.
“Typically, they wouldn’t have this territorial behavior unless they were thinking about nesting because they wouldn’t put that energy into protecting that site from potential fishing or other birds being in that area,” Powers said.
He said they’re even listening for the majestic birds with a new tool called BirdNET-Pi, which allows them to pick up eagle call detections.
“It lets us actually look at the audio signals and identify what the species are. We’re getting ticks of the eagles’ chatter that we can’t actually see on the camera, which really helps us to know that they’re there,” Powers said.
He said the tool has recorded bald eagles making noise in the evening.
“We’re seeing these nighttime calls, which are a really good sign because we’re seeing the eagles are actually roosting near where this nest tree is and they’re roosting in a pair. So, that shows us there was this pair bonding is actually starting,” said Powers.
Bald eagles have been nesting in Pittsburgh’s Hays neighborhood since 2013, with 20 eaglets taking flight.
It’s the fifth time the birds have had to build a new nest. Rachel Handel with the Audubon Society said they have faith in them.
“When the nest fell back in 2016, they rebuilt in three days. So, they have a history of being able to pull together a nest very quickly if they need to. We could really be seeing something pretty exciting happening very soon. Generally, these birds lay eggs in mid-February,” Handel said.
“We’re going to be looking for mating. We’re going to be looking for bonding rituals. And one of those rituals is nest building,” she added.
The hope is that the beloved eagles don’t soar in another director.
“Our hope is that if they don’t build in that tree, they’ll at least be close,” Handel said.
No matter what happens, it’s too late to move the PixCam camera from its current location.
“We’re just hopeful it’s going to be in the tree or where we can see it. And if not, we move it next year to where the new location would be,” Powers said.
The Washington Commanders have signed former Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Darius Rush to a reserve/future contract, the team announced.
Rush joined Washington in August after he was released by the Cleveland Browns, and spent the entire season with the team. Now, he will get a chance to showcase what he can do in the offseason and make a roster push.
Rush was also previously with the Kansas City Chiefs, but was waived/injured at the beginning of training camp.
The Steelers released Rush in last October, freeing him up to become a member of the Chiefs. He initially made the active roster, but after a rough preseason, the team went in another direction to locate some help, which they found in James Pierre.
Rush, a 2023 fourth-round pick out of South Carolina by the Indianapolis Colts, was cut by the Colts out of training camp. The Chiefs proceeded to claim Rush off waivers following his release, before the Steelers then signed him weeks later in 2023.
With Pittsburgh, Rush took on the role of dimebacker against the Tennessee Titans a season ago, playing 21 snaps in his NFL regular-season debut. He would win a starting gunner role to start the year in Pittsburgh, but not hold onto it after pressure from Pierre.
A puppy is being cared for by the Humane Animal Rescue of Pittsburgh in Homewood after police said his owner zipped him inside a suitcase on Christmas Day.
When you see him, you would never know how his little life got started. The little white dog loves to play and has quickly become a favorite at HARP.
However, nearly two weeks ago, Pittsburgh police said his owner, 56-year-old Jayme White, zipped him inside a suitcase she was carrying on Christmas Day. They said a witness told them she was yelling at the dog and hit it several times before putting it in the bag.
Now White is facing several charges, including animal neglect and public drunkenness.
HARP executive director Dan Cody said animal control brought them the puppy the next morning.
“When the dog arrived, he was in relatively good condition, given the circumstances,” Cody said.
They couldn’t find any signs of physical abuse.
“He was a little bit shy, but he very quickly warmed up,” Cody said.
They believe he’s about two and a half months old now, and expect he’ll be a large breed. Most importantly, they said he’s completely healthy.
“He’s just so energetic and loving,” Cody said.
The Allegheny County District Attorney’s Office told KDKA that White has surrendered custody of the animal to the rescue, so once he’s neutered, microchipped and vaccinated, he should be up for adoption in the coming days.
“We’ll find a great home for him,” Cody said.
While the circumstances remain unclear, Cody hopes this case serves as a reminder that owning a pet comes with a great responsibility.
“If you do know someone who is struggling or needs help, we are a place where you can come for resources,” Cody said.
White is now out of jail after a judge ruled she get a mental health evaluation. Her preliminary hearing is set for April.
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