April 28, 2026
Provided Image/Borough of Downingtown
A family of bald eagles — including Lloyd, above — has a nest in Kerr Park in Downingtown, causing officials to put temporary restrictions around the area.
A bald eagle nest has caused a section of Kerr Park in Downingtown to be blocked off, and the newly discovered presence of three eaglets could impact Fourth of July fireworks plans.
While nests have been spotted in the area for years, officials said the sighting of the babies this month marked the most significant presence of the protected bird in recent history and led to the added restrictions, including temporarily closing three holes on the park's disc golf course.
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The nest has been maintained in the back of the park, colloquially called “the pines,” since October 2024, but the eagles did not start using it for about a year. The adult pair, named Lloyd and Connie, welcomed three babies within the past two weeks, although it's not certain exactly when the eaglets hatched.
“While [bald eagles] are sparse in general, it is rare to see two nesting eagles in a public area so close to people,” Corinne Badman, assistant borough manager, said in a statement. “It’s the first time we have seen so much activity with eaglets.”
A protected buffer zone around the nest has been marked with orange fencing and “No Trespassing” signage. The area will be monitored by local authorities over the coming months.
Bald eagles can abandon their nests if they feel threatened, especially from repeated noise or activity during their nesting season. Game Commission regulations state that protections should be in place for 12 to 16 weeks after the eagles are born, which would mean these restrictions could be in place until early August.
“Once the babies are old enough to fly, they eventually get kicked out of the nest,” Alexis Law, parks supervisor for the Borough of Downingtown, said in a statement. “We will take the fence down then, but this will likely happen year after year if they continue to have babies there.”
Kerr Park is usually home to the Downingtown Good Neighbor Day fireworks on the Fourth of July, but borough officials are currently collaborating with the event’s committee to relocate the event to not disturb the birds, Law said.
Anyone found entering or attempting to fly a drone through the area will be subject to a fine of up to $100,000. Harassment of the habitat can be reported by contacting Downingtown Police Department at 610-383-7000 or the Pennsylvania State Game Commission at 1-833-742-9453.
Three baby eaglets, named Independence, Liberty and Freedom, have hatched in Downingtown's Kerr Park.
The story of Lloyd and Connie’s family also holds sentimental value for the borough’s park workers.
In 2018, Law named the male eagle after Lloyd Allen Jr., a World War II veteran and Downingtown native who frequented Kerr Park to birdwatch. The eagle’s female counterpart was named after Lloyd’s late wife, Connie Allen. After Lloyd died later that year, Law believed that anytime she saw a bald eagle around the park, she would know it was Lloyd looking over her.
“While they couldn’t have children of their own during their years together, Lloyd and Connie are now back, high in the trees, watching over the park,” Law said to the Daily News earlier this month. “Today, as I watch Connie sitting on her nest, I am filled with hope that they will finally have the ‘babies’ they waited so long for.”
Law said she named the eaglets Independence, Liberty and Freedom — Indy, Birdie and Dom for short.
“With the 250th anniversary approaching, I couldn’t think of a more patriotic way to celebrate than with Lloyd, Connie and their new family,” Law said.
