The other day when the first grade was taking a nature walk on campus, there was a special visitor. With the binoculars, first graders were observing the swirling array of both black vultures and turkey vultures above the soccer field. We noticed the turkey vultures with their two-toned wings, classic v-shape formation, and ability to soar effortlessly. We saw the black vultures with their stocky wings, short tail, white on the tips of their wings, and their constant flapping. However, another bird soared into this action but it was a bit different – larger, long wings that were straight, minimal flapping – an American bald eagle. It was a mature adult with the white head and white tail! I yelled, “Eagle. Flying from the left!”
Yes, it soared right over the whole class – majestic! Here was the whole class (short – only coming up to my hip) with all their eyes gazing up into the sky to see this bird fly over their school. One little girl kept saying in a big voice, “I have never seen an eagle before. I have never seen an eagle before.” Wonderful moment to cherish! Yet, it was even more significant for the growing eagle population in our state.
New Jersey’s eagle program has been quite a success. Twenty-some years ago the bald eagle was federally listed as an endangered species and was sliding toward extinction. At the time there was only ONE active nest in our region. After many years of diligent conservation work, the NJDEP Division of Fish and Wildlife now monitors 204 nest sites, of which 185 were documented as active in the 2018 Bald Eagle Project Report. They also noted having found 30 new eagle pairs in New Jersey this nesting season: 20 in the south, 9 in central and 1 in the north. The report highlights the Delaware Bay region as the state’s eagle stronghold, with roughly half of all nests located in Cumberland and Salem counties and the bayside of Cape May County.
I personally live in Cumberland County and see eagles almost every day – driving to school, driving home from school, or even on the weekends when we take our walks or bike rides. The other day Mrs. M. saw a mating pair with talons clasped tumbling down through the sky. So keep your eyes open. Take a drive down to the Mannington Marsh (towards Salem) to see the eagle activity there. You might also want to venture down to my neck of the woods to attend the annual Cumberland County Eagle Fest 2019 on February 2 (8am to 4pm) in Mauricetown (at the end of Route 55, south of Millville). This is an awesome event with speakers, live raptors, and field trips to local spots to view the eagles and other wildlife. This is a great event – one that we have attended for several years.
By T. Peter
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