Photo credit: Mathew Schwartz

Featured Story

Published Aug 16, 2026 12:00 pm

August 2026 • 3 min read

By Dani Lee Sepe

Imagine looking at the large pine tree near your backyard and seeing a couple of Bald Eagles making a massive stick and branch nest. That was longtime Nutley resident Eddie Cortese’s experience on Chestnut Street, in this exclusive interview with Nutley Nature News.

“We noticed some activity in Fall 2025, and the eagles actually started building their nest in the pine tree just off our property line.”

When asked what his initial reaction was when he saw the Bald Eagles were building a nest, Cortese said, “I thought it was pretty cool, not realizing we had Bald Eagles in this area. And I'm a nature lover, so I took a lot of interest into it.”

Visitors and neighbors soon also took interest in the new neighbors, and Cortese recounted the scenes that unfolded near his home. “They showed a lot of interest. We started to get people standing at the dead end of our street, just waiting for a glimpse of the eagles. People driving by in their cars, hoping to see a glimpse of the eagles. I would even help them point out where they were and when they would be most active.”

Being an impressive bird of prey isn’t enough to be free from danger, and when asked what dangers they face in Nutley, he replied, “The weather. But they did weather through the winter, and they weathered through those two big storms we had around July 3 and 4. I mean, that tree was really swaying back and forth, and they were holding on, I'm sure, very tight.”

Making memories alongside the Bald Eagles maintaining their nest and fledgling family went side by side for Cortese. When asked what the most memorable eagle moment he experienced was, he recalled, “Above and beyond the eagle pooping on my daughter's phone while she was standing close to the tree, also when the babies started to take flight and observing the parent and the baby doing a side-by-side test flight, which I thought was pretty cool.”

There was much to learn about his new neighbors, so Cortese took the opportunity to learn more about Bald Eagles. According to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Bald Eagle nests are among the largest nests built by any bird, typically measuring 5 to 6 feet in diameter and 2 to 4 feet tall. Both the male and female bring materials to the nest, which can be reused and expanded year after year.

When asked what fellow Nutley residents should know about our local Bald Eagles, Cortese responded, “This tree is now registered with the National Registry, Eagle Nest Number 598. And it's cool. I hope that they stay. From what I read, they may stay and continue to live in that tree as long as it's here.”

With the chirping whistle sounds of Bald Eagles behind him, Cortese looks to the nest and smiles, “I think everybody who's into nature, eagles, and birds, come take a look and enjoy it, because that's what I do.”

Photo credit: Adam Jackson

Featured Story

Published Jul 18, 2026 5:00 pm

July 2026 • 3 min read

By Dani Lee Sepe

While walking through the Nutley Park System on a warm summer day, you may look up and notice an impressive animal darting and weaving in flight. These incredible fliers are almost too fast to follow as they whip around the sky. You may think to yourself, “are those bats?” Many residents have likely seen them for years without realizing what they are. With their near-constant wing-beats and sharp banking, these summer visitors are actually birds. Introducing the Chimney Swift — a fascinating little bird that spends nearly their entire day in flight.

Chimney Swifts are small, slender birds with half-moon-shaped wings that flex stiffly. Identified by their blunt head, wide but short beak, squared-off tail and tube-shaped body, they are nicknamed the “flying cigar”. They are hardly ever seen landing, but as diurnal feeders they nest at sundown, remaining hidden overnight to rest. Their feathers are dark gray-brown, but backlit against the sky they may appear to be all black, like a bat. They swoop sharply in flight in search of flying insects as they forage.

While entertaining to watch, they consume pesky insects, eating between 1,000–12,000 per night. Enjoying meals of tasty bugs such as flies, wasps, bees, whiteflies and aphids, they can be seen feeding in suburban areas, such as above Yanticaw Park. Compared to hopping American Robins, croaking Common Grackles, serenading Song Sparrows, honking Canada Geese and chirping Northern Cardinals, they instead prefer to fly above the Mud Hole rather than mingle.

They are the only Swift species in New Jersey and the Eastern U.S. According to the National Audubon Society, while they once nested in hollow trees, they now almost exclusively nest in human-made structures, even when given an easy option to choose a hollowed-out tree. Their strong yet tiny feet are uniquely adapted to gripping on walls, but as a result they are unable to stand like other birds. Despite their adaptability to declining forests and expanding towns, they are listed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as a vulnerable species due to habitat loss. However, keen-eyed birdwatching Nutley residents can enjoy their delightful flocks as they twitter and twist above them downtown. During their breeding season, they migrate from South America to fill the open sky above Town Hall on Chestnut Street and the surrounding neighborhoods all summer long.

One of the best parts about exploring nature is that discovering wildlife isn’t exclusive to remote national forests or nature reserves. The fun of birdwatching also includes your own community, or even your backyard. The next time you’re out walking your dog, getting in your daily steps or spending time appreciating nature, look up to see the effortless dancing performance of the Chimney Swift.