Pike County Federation of Sportsmen's Clubs

Bald Eagles in Pike County

  Introduction

When Pennsylvania was first founded the Bald Eagle was a common sight in the skies. This large         majestic bird could be found soaring on the updrafts of the mountain ridges and fishing in the pristine lakes and rivers. But with the settlement, the number of bald eagles began to decline. Farmers shot the eagles as they did other predators that threatened their livestock. Sewage, mine waste, and other man-made pollution poisoned the fish in many rivers and lakes which resulted in the reduction of the eagle's the food source. Finally, after World War II the remaining eagles had to contend with pesticides which weakened their egg shells. This caused the many shells to break before the eggs could hatch. The bald eagle, not only in Pennsylvania, but throughout the country was on the verge of extinction.

By the late 1960's, people realized that if the bald eagle was to remain, serious action must be taken. Passage of the Endangered Species Act gave the bald eagle federal protection as an endangered species. Regulations were enacted to ban the most offending pesticides and to control the use of most others. Eggs and baby eagles were brought in from Canada and Alaska and were raised in man-made nests to repopulate the nation. One such program took place right here in Pike County!

By the 1990's, though still far from common, the bald eagle had became numerous enough to be down listed from "endangered" to "threatened". With continued vigilance, the bald eagle may once again become a common sight soaring high over the Commonwealth.

What is a Bald Eagle?

A bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) is a member of the hawk family and is classified as a buteo. That is, a hawk with broad wings and a broad, rounded tail. Immature bald eagles, while quite large, are dark brown and have a mottled underside. At about three years of age, the head and neck feathers change to white and by the fifth year, so has the tail. During this time, the eagle's legs and feet also change from black to a golden yellow.

Adult birds are 30 to 40 inches in length. They weigh 8 to 14 pounds and have a wing span of 6 to 8 feet. Primarily a fish eater, the bald eagle is more than happy to steal its food rather than catch it. Carrion also makes up a significant potion of many bird's diet.

Bald eagles nest high on rocky ledges and large trees. Newly made nests are usually quite large, around 5 feet in diameter and half that deep. If the eagle returns to the nest in subsequent years, it will enlarge the nest. Some nests eventually get too large and break the supporting branches of the tree. The female usually lays two eggs in late March or April. The parents take turns incubating the eggs for a little more than a month before the hatchlings emerge. Baby eagles (eaglets) live in the nest for three months before they learn to fly. By October, they leave the nest for good and begin life on their own.

Piebald Eagles?

Many people believe that the name bald eagle comes from its white head which gives it a bald, featherless look. The fact is, the bird is two-toned or "piebald". The name bald eagle is the shortened form of piebald eagle!

Pike County's Bald Eagles

Pike County is blessed with having two groups of Bald Eagles. The source of the birds and where to view them varies based on the time of year. For our purposes we will call them Summer Eagles and Winter Eagles.

Summer Eagles

In the early 1970's, the Pennsylvania Game Commission announced a plan to return bald eagles to the skies of Pennsylvania. Three sites were designated for reintroduction of the bald eagle. One of these sites was in the Shohola Waterfowl Management Area in Gamelands #180. An area of the gamelands and of Shohola Lake were closed off for the exclusive use of the eagles.  "Hacking" towers were built to create artificial nesting sites and members of the Game Commission, with permission of the Canadian government, went to a remote region of Canada to capture eaglets. To prevent them from imprinting with humans, the eaglets were fed with puppets designed to look like a mother eagle. Radio trackers were attached prior to their leaving the nest.

The artificially raised eagles went their own way, but some have remained in the area. Eventually, these birds have nested and raised their own offspring. There were at least 8 mature or semi-mature (white headed) eagles living on Shohola Lake in 1998. Others may be found in the Peck's Pond area and along the Delaware River. Generally, the Pike County raised birds migrate to the Southern Pennsylvania / Maryland / Virginia area for the winter.

Winter Eagles

Eagles are primarily fish eaters. The winter's freezing of lakes and rivers can make it quite difficult for an eagle to catch fish. It is for this reason that eagles from upper New York and, to a lesser extent Canada, fly to Pike County each winter. The birds follow the Delaware and try to stay ahead of where the river has frozen over. Many also spend the winter along unfrozen tributaries of the Delaware with the Lackawaxen River being he most notable. A 1997 winter count found 96 bald eagles and 2 golden eagles wintering in the Delaware River corridor between Hancock, New York and the Delaware Water Gap.

Rules for Bald Eagle Watching

1. Do not get too close to the eagles. Bald eagles try to avoid human contact and will leave the area when approached too closely. Use binoculars or a spotting scope for close up observation.

2. Do not try to look for eagles while driving. Have a passenger watch. Pull off the road when a eagle is spotted.

3. Do not stop in or block the road. Remember, local residents use these roads to get about. Blocking the road is not only rude but usually results in other motorist honking their horns which will often spook the eagle.

4. Do not get too close to a nest. Stay away or the eagle may abandon the nest.

5. Do not enter areas that are posted for eagle protection. It is illegal, and if caught, you will be punished!

Where to Observe Pike Counties Eagles

Pike County has many areas from which bald eagles may be observed. A majority of the land is publicly owned and accessible to the general public.

In the Summer

An eagle's nest may be observed from the boat launch at Promised Land State Park. Look directly across the lake. Use binoculars or a spotting scope. Do not block the boat launch.

The hacking towers at Shohola Lake may be seen from any of the boat launches and from the picnic area. Do not block the boat launches.

A natural eagle's nest may be seen in Shohola Lake from Springbrook Road (off US - 6). Drive to the end of Springbrook Road and look across the field to the lake. The nest can be seen without optics, but binoculars are required to see birds on the nest.

Bald eagles may be seen flying around Shohola Lake in the early morning and before dusk.

When boating on Shohola Lake you may often find eagles perching on trees. Binoculars make observation easier.

Eagles often soar around Pecks Pond and Porter's Lake on PA Rt. 402.

In the Winter

Eagles may often be seen soaring around the cliffs of the Delaware. Best areas are just ahead of the ice or in other areas of open water.

New York Rt. 97 at the "Hawk's Nest" and in the flats just North of the Hawk's Nest are good areas to watch eagles soaring over the cliffs on the Pennsylvania side of the river. (The Hawk's Nest is between Sparrowbush and Barryville NY)

PA Rt. 590 where it parallels the Lackawaxen River is a great place to see perched eagles in the winter. Do not block the road!

One Final Note About Shohola Lake

Shohola Lake is in Pennsylvania Gamelands #180. Gamelands are public hunting lands. They were purchased and are maintained with funds derived from hunting license fees and excise taxes on guns and hunting equipment. No income tax or sales tax money was used to create or maintain these lands. The lake was created for waterfowl hunting and the surrounding areas are used for hunting upland game (deer, rabbits, grouse, turkey, etc.). Although most hunting is done in the fall and winter, some animals (eg. crows, woodchucks and coyotes) are in season during the spring and summer. When you visit Shohola Lake, you are the guest of the hunters! You may hear gun shots. You may see people wearing camouflage. Be assured that the hunters are not harming the eagles. Several hundred acres have been set aside for the eagles to perch, nest, and feed without human interference. Remember --- It is illegal to interfere with hunters in the gamelands.

Finally, play it safe. Wear fluorescent orange when looking for eagles between October 1st and January 30th.

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