Endangered bald eagles are making a comeback in the San Francisco Bay Area as part of a national boom following decades of environmental investment.

Nineteen nests have been tallied in eight Bay Area counties, including at Stanford University, a mall and a water park, the Mercury News in San Jose reported this week.

Fifty years ago, the bird seemed destined to become a memory until official protection and pesticide restrictions were put in place. Now, residents who know the location of their nests watch the eagles soar and make predictions about when eggs will hatch.

"They're real majestic. Talons big as my hands," said Ruben Delgadillo, who sees eagles when he picks up his grandson from a school south of San Francisco.