Johnson City eagles Boone and Jolene appear to be building new nest following Helene damage

JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (WJHL) — The stars of ETSU’s Johnson City Eagle Cams, Boone and Jolene, lost their nest and the tree it was attached to during storms brought by Hurricane Helene.

Some good news is now emerging from the eagles’ story. As of Tuesday, the pair was seen carrying nesting materials to a tree that’s still standing nearby, seemingly building a new home to inhabit.

According to ETSU Eagle Cams moderator and camera operator Sherry Wright, Boone and Jolene’s nest tree fell on Sept. 27. Area residents reported seeing the pair flying near the felled tree after their nest was destroyed, Wright said.

Since then, volunteers have worked to rebuild a nesting platform in a tree close by, in hopes the pair of bald eagles would return to the camera-equipped area.

One of those volunteers was Ryan Rice, and he told News Channel 11 that he and around four others cleaned up debris while constructing a new platform for the eagles to potentially nest on.

“Nests fall pretty commonly, they just get so heavy in the tree because they just keep adding to the nest, you know, year after year, and eventually the branches can’t hold the nest anymore and they’ll fall,” he said.

So far, the eagles haven’t been observed at the new platform Rice and the other volunteers built for them. Wright said they have, however, taken to a certain perch of another nearby tree, bringing nesting materials to each other. Wright said she thinks the pair could be preparing to build a new nest.

Wright said that spot is still within view of one of the ETSU Eagle Cameras, thus allowing viewers to see their activity post-displacement from their homes.

Rice told News Channel 11 that it’s unclear when a new nest camera could be installed, and when it can be, it’ll most likely take place after the upcoming nesting season due to regulations. He added that while Boone and Jolene’s nest falling is incredibly unfortunate, it happened at the best possible time, as the species is typically just starting to prepare their spot for nesting season during this time of year.

“You are only allowed to do maintenance and do things outside of the eagles’ nesting period, but it’s lucky the nest fell when it did, because the eagles are just kind of starting to work on their nests in the area.”

The Johnson City ETSU Eagle Cam can be viewed for free on YouTube.

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