As a breeze blows through the wetlands west of North Salt Lake, a fledgling bald eagle hovers over the man-made nest it calls home.
The nest is atop a pole designed by Bob Walters of the state Division of Wildlife Resources and erected by the Utah Department of Transportation in 2001 after a tree that had hosted the birth of 14 bald eagles since 1996 blew down.
"They have a strong affinity to successful nest sites," Walters said, who also coordinates the division's watchable wildlife program. Although bald eagles dislike man-made structures, the pole was erected on the same spot and at the same height as the fallen tree, he said.
The fledgling and her two sisters, who are only 79 days old, make a total of eight birds hatched in the artificial tree since its construction. Only two are still in the nest, one left Thursday night and hasn't been found.
The perch is one of only five known bald eagle nesting sites in Utah. It is protected in the Legacy Nature Preserve, a hands-off wildlife area created in conjunction with the Legacy Parkway, a 14-mile road under construction in Davis County.
According to Tom Hudachko, UDOT spokesman, a portion of the Clean Water Act requires them to mitigate the 100 acres of wetlands destroyed in the construction of the parkway. To comply, UDOT purchased almost 2,100 acres west of the parkway and decided to create the preserve that includes 776 acres of wetlands.
The eagle nest sits on a corner of the preserve separated from farmer and rancher Dave Hinckley's property by the Jordan River. Some of the concerns raised with the construction of the parkway involved the urban sprawl that has already begun in North Salt Lake and might be encouraged by the new road. The preserve will prevent any sprawl west of the parkway, Hudachko said.
The land had all been zoned by the local communities for residential and industrial development, he said. UDOT purchased the land for around $22 million and hauled more than 10,000 dump truck loads worth of garbage and debris out of the area to create the preserve, Hudachko said.
"The bald eagles are the tip of the iceberg for the species that will be protected and the plants that will be protected," he said. "From our perspective the real legacy of the Legacy Project will be the Legacy Preserve."
Although the state's arid climate makes bald eagle nesting rare in Utah, Farmington Bay is a favorite wintering area for the birds between November and March. Walters said he once counted 82 eagles in the area. They scavenge in the winter and eat carp and catfish from the river during nesting season as well as mud hens.
From North Salt Lake's Center Street, the nest looks like a dead palm tree and is separated from the road by Hinckley's private property. Walters says he rarely gets closer than a few hundred yards to the birds, but on June 17 and 19 he will escort field trips for the public. The tours will be free, but reservations must be made with him by calling 538-4771.
E-mail: akirk@desnews.com