There are a couple of new mothers in the area, but it’s unlikely they will take note of that fact in any special way on Sunday.

Two sets of bald eagle parents seemed to agree with many of us that Garfield County is a great place to start a family.

In a relative population boom, two different nests are filled with chirps from the first bald eagle chicks to hatch in Garfield County in more than 30 years.

One family has taken up residence in the Roaring Fork Valley near the Aspen Glen Golf Club, while the other family is close to Rifle near the Lafarge gravel pit.

It wasn’t long ago that the future of our national bird in the United States was in question. It’s still not common to see the regal eagle in the area, but with close to 1,000 of the raptors wintering in the state it’s far more frequent than it was even a decade ago.

Eaglets, however, are another story. The last known hatch in this area was in 1973. Prior to that, there hadn’t been an eaglet born in the Roaring Fork Valley since 1954.

The residents of Garfield County have a healthy understanding of the relationship between humans and nature, but it’s debatable how much we had to do with the eagles coming here to mate.

Nonetheless, the events are worthy of excitement and even pride that, with the amount of human population growth the area has experienced, the bald eagle families still find the environment amenable for breeding.

It’s a testament to the land stewardship demonstrated by residents and businesses of Garfield County and, we hope, it won’t be the last hint that we’re working in the right direction.It’s a testament to the land stewardship demonstrated by residents and businesses of Garfield County and, we hope, it won’t be the last hint that we’re working in the right direction.