A big bald eagle comeback

[Merc]

If you pull up a map of Pennsylvania, you’ll see a big hook-shaped reservoir that straddles the PA-OH border about 40 miles south of Lake Erie. It’s Pymatuning Lake/State Park and the lake covers more than 17,000 acres, is 16 miles long, 1.5 miles at its widest point and has about 70 miles of shoreline. About 1/4 of it is in Ohio.

My summer home is nearby and this is where we hunt, fish and boat.

The bald eagle has a major presence on the shores of the lake. There could be as many as 20 to 40 nesting pairs on the lake and all are potentially producing an average of two eaglets per year. They can have a life span of 30 years. Eagles were scarce here 20 years ago. Now, they seem to be everywhere. We often go boating after dinner to search for them. Last night, we covered four miles of southern shoreline and saw eight eagles. Three were adults and five were juveniles. We covered a different area last week and saw ten eagles. Six were adults and four were juveniles. We watch them snatch fish during the day but they mostly perch in the evening.

The lake is an ideal habitat for eagles. Lots of wooded shoreline with tall mature trees for nesting and a big lake for fish, gulls, ducks and geese.

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Here are two adults and their two fledged eaglets.

They like to perch in the tops of dead trees along the shore where they can easily see in all directions. It makes them easy to spot from a boat. They used to be very shy and would fly away when approached. Now, if approached slowly, they mostly just sit quietly looking at us as we look at them.

[Clark Howard]

Bald Eagles have not inhabited my area for many, many years. Two years ago, an adult stopped traffic at an intersection while it killed and ate a gray squirrel in the middle of the road. Last year, I watched as a pair of juveniles killed and ate two of my wife's favorite chickens, under the watchful eye of their mom. Regards, Clark

[Merc]

Bald Eagles have not inhabited my area for many, many years. Two years ago, an adult stopped traffic at an intersection while it killed and ate a gray squirrel in the middle of the road. Last year, I watched as a pair of juveniles killed and ate two of my wife's favorite chickens, under the watchful eye of their mom. Regards, Clark

They are birds of prey and will kill to survive.

[bdm]

They are extremely strong and have no fear when it comes to food taking on pray many times their size and weight.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3WroMlDqTRs&t=3s

[free1954]

If you pull up a map of Pennsylvania, you’ll see a big hook-shaped reservoir that straddles the PA-OH border about 40 miles south of Lake Erie. It’s Pymatuning Lake/State Park and the lake covers more than 17,000 acres, is 16 miles long, 1.5 miles at its widest point and has about 70 miles of shoreline. About 1/4 of it is in Ohio.

My summer home is nearby and this is where we hunt, fish and boat.

The bald eagle has a major presence on the shores of the lake. There could be as many as 20 to 40 nesting pairs on the lake and all are potentially producing an average of two eaglets per year. They can have a life span of 30 years. Eagles were scarce here 20 years ago. Now, they seem to be everywhere. We often go boating after dinner to search for them. Last night, we covered four miles of southern shoreline and saw eight eagles. Three were adults and five were juveniles. We covered a different area last week and saw ten eagles. Six were adults and four were juveniles. We watch them snatch fish during the day but they mostly perch in the evening.

The lake is an ideal habitat for eagles. Lots of wooded shoreline with tall mature trees for nesting and a big lake for fish, gulls, ducks and geese.

46222 46223

Here are two adults and their two fledged eaglets.

They like to perch in the tops of dead trees along the shore where they can easily see in all directions. It makes them easy to spot from a boat. They used to be very shy and would fly away when approached. Now, if approached slowly, they mostly just sit quietly looking at us as we look at them.


i'm from the other side of the state. along the upper Delaware there are quite a few eagles all year long. at least as long as the river is open in the winter.

[Merc]

Around here, the eagles begin nesting activities during the winter months and usually start laying eggs in February. They feed on all available birds, small animals (including pets), fish and roadkill. They aren’t picky eaters.

[Johnny P]

Friend sent a picture last week of six eagles perched in a dead tree. On the back side of his farm the water had been up and as it was dropped out the eagles were catching fish.

[m1ashooter]

I will never forget the first Bald Eagle I saw in the wild. It was in 1984 in North Dakota. Now I can see them in my community of Kingwood Texas. They have arrived here recently. I think see the Bald Eagle is a wonder sight to behold.

[Merc]

Friend sent a picture last week of six eagles perched in a dead tree. On the back side of his farm the water had been up and as it was dropped out the eagles were catching fish.

That must have been a fascinating sight to see, especially for those of us who are old enough to remember how close DDT came to wiping them out. They have evidently become a fairly common bird in many locations and they seem to be thriving which still amazes us.

[free1954]

46247
especially for those of us who are old enough to remember how close DDT came to wiping them out.

yes sir. when I was younger it was a rare thing to see a hawk in my area. and if you wanted to hunt turkeys you were in for a ride.
now I have them in my yard

[Merc]

Turkeys also used to be rare around here. We now have at least one large flock that wanders through our yard nearly every day outside of the breeding season.

Coyotes were also rare around here but they’ve also become common. Natures balancing act - I guess it’s a good thing.

[Allen]

I heard that the wild turkey was once considered for the U.S. national bird before the bald eagle. One reason, perhaps the only reason besides their size was that they were so plentiful. If driving the Natchez Trace Parkway you will see many of them

[macPA]

Here in NE PA I see eagles almost everyday. Have a couple on the farm and see them driving to work on a regular basis.
And have had to wait a few times for them to get out of the road while eating.
Always great to see them!

[Merc]

All I can say is I’m glad we haven’t damaged our environment to the point where it was impossible for animal and bird populations to rebound. Bald eagles are seemingly plentiful. Add an explosive state wide turkey and deer population to PA’s mix. Black bears are plentiful and one occasionally strolls through a local neighborhood. The Monongahela River in Pittsburgh that was nearly dead from mine drainage and industrial wastes in the 1970s is now home to 76 species of fish. Bassmasters had a tournament here a few years ago. Hopefully, things will continue to improve. I’m glad I lived long enough to see it.

[free1954]

46254
Here in NE PA I see eagles almost everyday. Have a couple on the farm and see them driving to work on a regular basis.
And have had to wait a few times for them to get out of the road while eating.
Always great to see them!

I see them from time to time on the Lackawanna river .promised land state park has a nest on the lower lake. there is also a lot of ospreys around. here is a picture from the nest at lake wallenpaupack.

[Merc]

46254

I see them from time to time on the Lackawanna river .promised land state park has a nest on the lower lake. there is also a lot of ospreys around. here is a picture from the nest at lake wallenpaupack.

We also have a small osprey population on Pymatuning Lake. They seem to prefer nesting on the platforms that the state put up. I also see them nesting on tops of cell phone towers and electric power polls. Their nests are a lot smaller than the bald eagle’s nest. We don’t see them fishing much on Pymatuning compared to the bald eagles but we have observed them in Florida where they are more common. They’re really good at catching fish and always fly with the fish’s head facing into the direction they’re flying. Less drag makes it easier to fly. I’ve watched them dive into the water for fish and still have enough wing power to get airborne and shake off the water while flying away with the fish.

Anyone who travels Florida’s Interstate 75 has driven past a rest stop near Sarasota. The rest stop has about 10 or more tall light posts and each one has an osprey’s nest built on top of the lights.