FRANKLIN, Wis. — Multiple bald eagles are nesting near the Root River in Franklin. David Yuenger spends most of his time there nowadays.
He leans on his truck with his foot-long telephoto lens pointed up to the trees. Every time he snaps a picture, it's of one of the eagles.
Watch: Franklin locals urge caution around nesting bald eagles to ensure safety:
It's drawing attention all over Franklin.
"It's our bird, it's a national symbol," Yuenger said. "They're so majestic for such a large bird, they are just nimble."
The birds in the nest are breeding. It's special for birds that were nearly wiped out from the Lower 48 States less than a century ago.
While Wisconsin's Department of Natural Resources has tracked individual birds and nests in the past, they no longer do so because of the species' resurgence.
John Kaspar birds all around the county, and his main concern is safety when you get around the eagles.
"You can seriously disrupt the process of—for instance—raising young when you are trying to get too close," Kaspar said.
And it's not just for the birds. The place where you can view the birds is on a road with no sidewalk or parking spots.
The more people that are there, the more dangerous the road will get.
In an email to TMJ4, the DNR said, "Bald eagles, including their parts (including feathers), nests and eggs, have been protected by the Federal Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act since 1940."
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