I'm opposed to checkbook journalism, even when readers are calling to offer me money for information. That actually happened this morning when an Erie Times-News reader said he could "make it worth my while" if I told him the location of the bald eagle nest at Presque Isle State Park.

The news about the pair of bald eagles -- the first in 51 years to nest at Presque Isle -- is splashed all over the front page of today's paper, and it's made many of the newspaper's readers absolutely giddy. An elderly woman told me at length about watching eagles soaring overhead on outings to the park when she was a girl -- in the 1930's.

Another caller claimed his father helped remove trees in the 1950's, where several eagles nests were located. "They were making way for a new marina out there," he said, "and in later years, after eagles became so scarce, my dad felt awful about what he'd done. He was only a laborer on a crew, but he knew instinctively that cutting down those trees late in the season and destroying he eagles' habitat was wrong."

The return of the eagles to Presque Isle is seen as another positive sign that the air and water are cleaner. In the 1980's, when the number of American bald eagles had shrunk to about 300, pesticides and other pollutants were blamed for the demise of the majestic birds.

Back when I was on the sports beat, covering a World Series game in San Diego, it was thrilling to watch a bird trainer release a recovering bald eagle (its wing had been injured), so it could fly around the ballpark before returning to the leather perch on the trainer's arm. When the bird was released, it swooped once around the park and then soared out of sight, never to return again. As it saw what was happening, the large crowd erupted in a thunderous ovation.

I know why readers of today's newspaper story are so excited about eafles, because about 12 summers ago I watched a pair of eagles soar over Kinzua Dam, near Warren, Pa. We couldn't take our eyes off of them, they were so spectacular. One of the eagles dove close to the river to pluck a fairly large trout right out of the water. It was such a graceful maneuver that I committed it to memory.

To answer the question of the five readers who called for directions to the eagles nest at Presque Isle, here's what I can say: I haven't the slightest idea. David Bruce, the reporter who covered the story, and Jack Hanrahan, the photographer who took the dramatic photos that accompanied the story, also said they'd likely have trouble re-tracing their steps.

Ironically, Presque Isle officials say they might have worried too much about people disturbing the nests, which the eagles usually use for an average of eight years. A "rogue" third eagle showed up while Bruce and Hanrahan covered the story Tuesday and engaged the two nest-dwelling eagles in a screeching air battle.

Now, officials are concerned the rogue might have driven off the new nesters. If he did, we'll report the news, minus the location, of course.

-- Kevin Cuneo

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