4 May 2025

Now that the Hays bald eagles have moved across the river, the old eagle viewing site on the bike trail has no eagles to see so I asked Dana Nesiti at Eagles of Hays PA on Facebook, “Where is the best place to view the Glen Hazel eagles’ nest?”

Dana recommends the Homestead side of the river at the Costco back lot (1000 Sandcastle Dr, West Homestead, PA 15120. Pin drop: 40.402230, -79.922830). He writes:

Best spot is Costco’s back lot by their loading dock [see pin drop map here]. The nest is far away and you will need binoculars or a spotting scope to see it. [While there] You get to see fly ins and outs and can see the eaglets when they are up. We spoke with Costco management and they are OK with people viewing the nest from their back lot as long as we keep it clean and don’t interfere with the truck traffic. … That is where I have been posting the pics from.

— email from Dana Nesiti, 2 May 2025

SPECIAL NOTE: If you go to Costco remember you are on private property so be sure to be unobtrusive and cooperative. Do not park at the loading dock, do not park in the access road (i.e. park far away). Do not block anything. Move if you are asked to move. You won’t want to ruin this opportunity for yourself *and* for everyone else. See information on public property viewing spot below.

To help you find the nest tree from that vantage point, Dana included a photo of the hillside with the nest tree circled in yellow and this explanation of what to look for.

If you park back there [at Costco] and walk to the corner and look across the river you will see a spot were there was a landslide. At the top of the landslide to the left is a sycamore tree that they are in (circled in attached image).

— email from Dana Nesiti, 2 May 2025

With a scope, binoculars, or a high-powered camera you can see the parents and eaglets as shown in Dana’s photo below.

As the trees leaf out it may become harder to see the nest.

Public property viewing spot = WALK 1 MILE out on the Duck Hollow Trail: I investigated a second viewing spot on public property described by John Carson in the comment below. Today I walked it and clocked the distance = 1 mile from the Duck Hollow Parking Lot; 2 miles on your feet because you have to walk out as well.

Slight bummer: When I got to the viewing spot I could see the big nest from below but no eagles were visible; eaglets were probably sleeping. 40 minutes spent to see … sticks.

Remember: If a watcher messes up with Costco this 2 mile walk is the only choice.