WESTBOROUGH, Mass.—Massachusetts wildlife officials are preparing to count bald eagles during the annual midwinter survey of the coast and major rivers, lakes and reservoirs.
The count is part of efforts to monitor the recovery of bald eagles after poisoning by pesticide DDT decimated their population.
Massachusetts's first count in 1979 revealed 8 bald eagles. Last year, the state logged a record 107 bald eagles.
Division of Fisheries and Wildlife Assistant Director Thomas French says authorities changed the bird's legal status in Massachusetts this year from endangered to threatened.
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U.S. Forest Service Counts On Volunteers
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Bald eagles love to spend their winter holidays in Big Bear. The U.S. Forest Service conducts eagle counts around lakes in the San Bernardino and San Jacinto mountains to see just how many make the trip. The next count is Saturday, Jan. 14.
The San Bernardino mountains support the largest wintering bald eagle population in Southern California. Eagles typically begin arriving in late November and stay until early April. Numbers using the Big Bear Basin have fluctuated, from lows of six and seven birds to highs of 35 to 40.
Volunteers are needed for the eagle census Jan. 14. Volunteers are stationed at various vantage points around Valley lakes where they map and note any eagle observations during a one-hour period. Bald eagle counts are held at Big Bear Lake and Baldwin Lake. Eagle counts are also scheduled for Feb. 11 and March 10.
Volunteers for the Big Bear Lake area should go to the San Bernardino National Forest’s Big Bear Discovery Center, 40971 North Shore Drive at 8 a.m. on the day of the census to receive instructions.
A combined total of nine eagles —five adults and four juveniles— were observed during the season’s first count Dec. 17. Big Bear saw the most, with three adults and one juvenile seen in the Big Bear/Baldwin Lake area. Two juveniles were seen in the Lake Arrowhead area, and one adult and one juvenile at Silverwood Lake.
Juvenile eagles are distinguished by a brown head and tail. Adults are known for their white head and tail. It takes four to five years to reach full adult coloration. SOURCE
Where have the eagles gone?
Warm weather keeps majestic birds at bay
NEWBURYPORT — It seems this winter's lack of snow and ice has also affected another local winter staple — bald eagles.
The majestic birds, which can occasionally be seen sitting in waterfront trees or soaring above the Merrimack River, have become a popular bird-watching attraction in recent years. Last January, a record-setting number of eagles was spotted in Massachusetts and along the Merrimack River, but this year's relatively warm weather has reduced their numbers.
There's no official count yet — that will be done statewide on Jan. 13 — but anecdotal observations indicate there are few right now along the Merrimack River.
"It's been so mild that the eagles up north haven't been around in search of food. The rivers up north haven't frozen," said Steve Grinley, owner of the Bird Watchers Supply and Gift in Newburyport. "As things get colder, more eagles should be coming here."
Bill Gette, director of the Joppa Flats Audubon Center in Newburyport, said the lack of eagles "is not terribly unusual" for this time of year, particularly given the weather patterns. Unseasonably warm weather has kept waterways unfrozen in the eagles' summer and fall hunting grounds to the north.
"For a lot of these animals, the migration itself is expensive in terms of energy expenditure," he said, adding that the birds will remain in their northern grounds "for as long as the weather permits."
Gette predicts that by mid-February, when Newburyport hosts its annual Eagle Fest, the number of bald eagles will substantially increase. The event, planned for Feb. 11, typically draws more than 1,000 visitors.
Tom French, assistant director for the state Division of Fisheries and Wildlife, said eagle sightings are down across the state compared to last year. But that's not necessarily a bad sign. The population appears to be healthy and growing, and the temporary decrease caused by mild weather is mitigated by the growth in the number of eagle nests in the state.
The Merrimack River now has four nests — three in Haverhill and one in West Newbury, French said. A few years ago, there were none. The West Newbury nest has been the most productive.
Last year's eagle count produced 107 birds statewide, with 11 spotted on the Merrimack. The prior year yielded 7 along the river.
Eagles feed on fish, and the open waters of the Merrimack River — particularly around Deer Island in Amesbury and Carr and Ram islands in Newburyport — are known to be some of the best places to watch for eagles. Cashman Park in Newburyport offers a panoramic view of the river and is used annually as one of the half-dozen spots around Massachusetts for the statewide eagle count.
Bald eagles were entirely wiped out in Massachusetts by 1905. They were reintroduced in the 1980s, and their numbers have steadily climbed since then.
In recent years, the eagle nest in West Newbury has drawn significant attention from biologists. The precise location of the nest has been kept secret in order to protect the birds.
West Newbury and Haverhill share the distinction of being the only communities north of Boston where eagle nesting is currently occurring, according to the state. The most prolific nesting areas are in the western part of the state, along the Connecticut River and the Quabbin Reservoir. SOURCE
