Somewhat surprisingly, the pair chose a tree next to the maintenance area, where work crews go back and forth on golf carts at the Alameda, Calif. golf course. Umesh Patel, majority owner of Greenway Golf, the management company for the property, says he is thrilled and honored the eagles chose the golf course as their home. “Since golf courses exist within natural habitats, it is our responsibility to help preserve this delicate ecosystem through sound environmental practices,” he says.

A pair of bald eagles have been building their nest over the last couple of months in a tree above the maintenance shed in the middle of the Corica Park Golf Course in Alameda, Calif., KTVU reported. Rick Lewis, a Bay Area photographer, has been tracking them from the beginning. He said he was surprised they chose a tree next to the maintenance area, where work crews go back and forth on golf carts. But the birds seem undisturbed.

“They seem to be completely unfazed by the ground activity,” he said.

Lewis has been watching their nest for the last 60 days or so and has more than 1,000 pictures of the eagles, KTVU reported. He said the female of the pair has very distinct features: a black dot in the bottom of her right eye and a missing nail.

“There’s a little love pecking going on right now.” Lewis said as he watched them above, adding he sees “incubating posture” from the birds.

KTVU spoke with Lewis, as well as Umesh Patel, majority owner of Greenway Golf, the management company for Corica Park Golf Course, and Superintendent Vinny Paul at the course Feb. 25.

Patel told KTVU he is thrilled and honored the eagles chose the golf course as their home.

“Since golf courses exist within natural habitats, it is our responsibility to help preserve this delicate ecosystem through sound environmental practices,” said Patel. “The return of these spectacular animals is awe-inspiring to everyone that works here, to everyone that visits Corica Park. It makes us feel like we are doing something right.”

And now that the word is out, people around town are looking for the birds as they go about their regular day or play a round of golf, KTVU reported. Over the last few weeks, groups of people can be found gathered with binoculars and cameras, tracking the eagles.

Alameda resident Dara Sue was out walking when she spotted them on the beach, KTVU reported.

“I was so surprised to see them near the water since I’ve been looking for them mostly near the golf course,” said Sue. “They were beautiful!”

The first sightings of the pair were a few months ago, Lewis told KTVU. Late December, Lewis spotted one of them at Martin Luther King Park harassing ducks, then it flew toward Alameda. He said he walked for hours hoping to spot it again, and a few days later, he saw a pair overhead on Bay Farm Island.

“They flew into a tree, and I realized that they were slowly growing a nest,” said Lewis.

According to Lewis, a bald eagle’s nest can be as large as 8 feet across and 2,000 pounds, KTVU reported. The nest in Alameda will likely not be that large, Lewis explained, since the tree would not be able to sustain it.

“They wouldn’t be here unless they were comfortable and had the resources to live,” Lewis said.

But even though that particular tree might not be the typical spot for a nest, the golf course is a perfect spot for other reasons, KTVU reported. Lewis said it’s somewhat lucky because the public won’t pass regularly and disturb them. It’s also a good location because of the proximity to the airport, he explained, and the fact that drones can’t be flown in the area.

Although bald eagles are no longer on the federal endangered species list, they are still on California’s endangered list and have other federal protections, KTVU reported.

“It still falls under the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act,” said Doug Bell, the wildlife program manager at the East Bay Regional Park District. Violators can face a fine of up to $100,000 and one year in jail, he told KTVU.

If the eagles decide to make Alameda a permanent residence, the city will join a short list of Bay Area locations with bald eagle nests, KTVU reported.

“Fingers crossed we will see eggs and babies at the end of all this,” said Lewis.