Fourth EagleFest feeds wildlife spirit

NARROWSBURG, NY — In the past, crowds visiting Narrowsburg for the annual day designed to celebrate bald eagles and other birds of prey have surpassed the 2,000 mark, and EagleFest co-organizer John DiGiorgio said the turnout at the fourth annual festival, held last Saturday, was even greater. In addition to lively presentations by raptor experts, panel discussions and film screenings, visitors enjoyed strolling about town, which was teeming with raptor-related activities.

TRR photo by David Hulse EagleFest participants scan the horizon over Narrowsburg’s Big Eddy at the Main Street observation deck. High Point Scientific of Montague, NJ provided some of the optics for viewers. (Click for larger version)	TRR photo by David Hulse EagleFest visitor Stacy Cohen writes in her silent auction bid on one of the posters displayed at the River Gallery on Saturday. The auction proceeds of $1,346 will benefit future EagleFests. (Click for larger version)
TRR photo by David Hulse The Delaware Valley Arts Alliance’s gallery featured an exhibit of wildlife photographer John A. DiGiorgio’s work, titled “A Show of Eagles”. (Click for larger version)	TRR photo by David Hulse Three sculptors from Ice Works created seasonal eagle ice sculptures along Bridge Street, Main Street and the pictured ice eagle at the observation deck overlooking the Big Eddy. (Click for larger version)
TRR photo by David Hulse Clear skies and brisk seasonal weather produced a perfect day for eagle viewing and sidewalk window shopping at last Saturday’s fourth annual EagleFest in Narrowsburg. (Click for larger version)	TRR photo by Charlie Buterbaugh Bill Streeter, biologist, falconer and executive director of the Delaware Valley Raptor Center, presents an 8 to 10 year-old bald eagle named Benson to a crowd of about 400 at the Narrowsburg Elementary School during the fourth annual EagleFest. Benson was illegally shot in the chest while flying over the Susquehanna River. Just before he drowned, he was rescued from the water. Unable to survive in the wild, Benson will spend the rest of his life at the Delaware Valley Raptor Center. (Click for larger version)
TRR photo by Charlie Buterbaugh During the opening ceremonies of EagleFest 2005, Debbie Reimer, left, of Bank of America and Linda Slocum, this year’s featured artist, present a $150 savings bond to Steven Reckpenwall-Calvert, who placed second in the student poster contest sponsored by Nature’s Art LLC. Erika Latkowski won first prize in the contest and Laurel Jungblut placed third. (Click for larger version)