Bald eagle parents and juvenile spotted in Barre

Posted 9 January 2019 at 2:50 pm

Editor:

Photo by Cindy Burnside: A bald eagle is in flight last weekend in Barre at a field along Route 98.

I have been watching a Bald Eagle in Barre for over 15 years. I would catch sight of him/her flying very high up in the sky and was able to catch some fabulous photos of him about 10 years ago.

Over the last few years I have caught sight of him/her in various areas in Barre as well as in my own back yard.  A few years ago, roofers at our home were graced with his presence and he gave them a thrill to see his proud and majestic brilliance!

This past weekend, someone in the area, who knows how enthralled I am with this national bird, called me and told me that there was an eagle and a juvenile in a field on Route 98 in the Town of Barre. They gave me the location and I grabbed my camera – not having the best camera, I was able to photograph not only the baby, but its parents as well!

I am so excited that we, in the Town of Barre, can say we have a family of bald eagles living somewhere close by! I have waited years for this to happen and feel extremely blessed that this pair chose our town to live – with the wide open, unaltered, natural habitat, they have found it as lovely a place as we have!

Special notes regarding Bald Eagles from the DEC:

• In 1976 there was only one pair of bald eagles nesting in New York. Conservation efforts have increased that number to 389 territories in 2015.

• Bald eagles mate for life, which can be over 30 years. Nests are reused and added to each year, growing to over six feet across, eight feet deep, and weighing hundreds of pounds.

• An eagle’s 2-inch-long talons can exert 1,000 pounds of pressure per square inch

• Harassing, disturbing or injuring a bald eagle is a federal offense and carries a penalty of up to $20,000 and/or one year in jail. Remember that bald eagles should remain undisturbed, and it is important that they conserve energy during the winter months.

Please remember, it is a federal offense to harass or disturb them or their nesting area. Enjoy from a distance and love what you can see! Welcome to the neighborhood, Mr. & Mrs. Eagle and Baby!

Cindy Burnside

Barre