Return of the migrant eagles

In the past month, a number of migrant eagles are augmenting the population of resident bald eagles that nest on the main stem of the Delaware River and the surrounding region.

The migrant bald eagles, as well as a few migrant golden eagles, come down in the late fall to escape the bitterly cold Canadian winter. In the case of bald eagles, it is a case of getting enough to eat; there would not be enough ice-free water in Canada to forage for fish (their primary food source) and they would starve.

During the winter, eagles tend to congregate in areas of open water where food is available. Some attractive areas are the Lackawaxen River in Pennsylvania and the Mongaup Reservoir in New York. Both areas have hydroelectric generation facilities, and alewives and other small fish get caught in the turbines and are stunned or killed. Eagles eagerly wait downstream of the discharge points to forage on these free snacks.

Eagle viewing is popular in the area, and more people appear each winter to see these spectacular birds, and this increases the chance for disturbance. For tips on seeing the most eagles without causing disturbance, as well as information on latest sightings, viewing areas, etc., visit the Eagle Institute in Lackawaxen, PA, or visit eagleinstitute.org .