Words On Birds 02-13-26

 

     Twice this past week, Margo and I saw an adult bald eagle fly over our car on our way up to Newburyport from Essex. One was over Route 1A in Rowley and the other was over Route 1 in Newbury.  Both times it was headed west. It could have been the same bird, or likely one that has nested along the Mill River in recent years.

 

     Just a day ago, an immature bald eagle was perched high in a large sycamore tree over Water Street just east of Joppa Park and the boat ramp. At the same time, an adult eagle could be seen flying along the other side of the harbor and it eventually perched in a tree on the Salisbury side.

 

     On another day, we were eating our lunch at Cashman Park when we spotted an adult bald eagle eating its lunch on the ice across the river. There was another figure next to it, but it was too far to tell what it was. I pulled out the spotting scope and discovered that it was a red-tailed hawk, sitting only a few feet away. I could tell that the prey was a black duck form its dark feathering and red legs sticking out.

 

     I got back inside the car to finish lunch and watch the other ducks in the river that included common goldeneye, long-tailed ducks, bufflehead, red-breasted mergansers and greater and lesser scaup.  There were a few black ducks among the many mallards and ring-billed gulls on the near side. A harrier was hunting over the marsh on the Salisbury. 

 

     While keeping an eye on the eagle on the ice, the red-tailed hawk suddenly lunged at it, moving the eagle off the prey and proceeded to feed on the carcass. Surprisingly, the eagle merely sat and watched for a few seconds and then flew off. We surmised that it must have been finished, or close to finish, and had enough so as not move the hawk, half its size, off of its lunch.

 

     Another birder told us that she had seen an eagle for the past four or five days around the Rocks Village Bridge between West Newbury and Haverhill. A pair of eagles regularly nest up river in that vicinity and also near the Powwow River in Amesbury. Another pair nests further up river in Haverhill.

 

     We have seen bald eagles this winter nearly every time we visit Plum Island or the Salisbury Beach State Reservation. So there are a lot of eagles around this winter. When I started birding more than a half century ago, that wasn’t the case. Bald eagles were scarce in Newburyport, and on the endangered species list. But since the ban on DDT and the efforts to clean up our rivers, eagles have returned in great numbers and no longer on the endangered or threatened lists.

 

     Why all this talk about bad eagles? Tomorrow is the Merrimack River Eagle Festival in Newburyport and, with so many eagles around and temperatures finally moderating, it will be a great day to go out and see bald eagles!

 

     There will be eagle-viewing locations set up around Newburyport, and Amesbury. Maps of eagle viewing areas are available at the Mass Audubon Joppa Flats Education Center or at the Parker River Wildlife Refuge Headquarters. Naturalists will be on station to educate you about these magnificent birds of prey. 

 

     On Saturday you may visit the Mass Audubon Joppa Flats Education Center, where you can enjoy raptor-themed family activities, including crafts and tabletop science. Live hawk presentations will be at 10:45 am, 12:30 pm, and 1:45 pm.  Or visit the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge Headquarters across the street 10:00 am to 3:00 pm for raptor-themed crafts and insights into their Rescue Raptors campaign, plus live owl presentations at 10:45 am, 12:30 pm, and 1:45 pm.

 

     Registration is not required for viewing locations and on-site activities at Joppa Flats or the Parker River National Wildlife Sanctuary Headquarters.          

 

     These indoor programs are great fun, however the best show is usually outdoors where the bald eagles, along with other area raptors, ducks, and geese are sure to put on an amazing display. Searching the waters and shoreline of the Merrimack can reward you with close-up views of our national birds perched, soaring, and even catching fish along the river. 

 

     While in the area, you might also spend part of the day at Plum Island where you might find a snowy owl in the dunes or marsh along the refuge road. There have also been adult and immature bald eagles seen from many locations on the island. If birders are present with scopes, they will likely share their optics and the experience of viewing these birds up close.

 

     For additional information regarding the festival, please contact the Mass Audubon Joppa Flats Education Center at 978-462-9998 or the Parker River Wildlife Refuge at 978-465-5753.