Search for Eagles report, Dec. 30

The second 2018-19 Dr. S. Marie Kuhnen Memorial Field Trip, Search for Eagles took place in the Delaware Valley Sunday, Dec. 30, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. The temperature at the start was 32 degrees and at the finish 37 degrees. It was a cloudy, snow-flurry day that began with watching feeder birds including hairy and downy woodpeckers, dark-eyed junco, blue jays, pileated woodpeckers, among others. This was a solo trip and I logged 176 miles in the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area and Upper Delaware Scenic River from the Pocono Environmental Education Center (PEEC) to the Bushkill Access and the trip's conclusion at the headwaters of the Lackawaxen River.
The first raptor of the day was an adult bald eagle at the shale bank north of Tom's Creek. The Bushkill Access was open and I added common crow. Returning to Route 209 North and passing the Tom's Creek shale bank, I spotted a second adult bald eagle perched at the north end of the shale bank.
Traveling north on 209 I spotted my first perched red-tailed hawk near mile marker 7. A second was perched east of 209 about a half mile north of Briscoe Mountain Road.
No eagles at the Dingmans Ferry Access. I saw a pair of bald eagles earlier this week perched on the ridge in the vicinity of the Dingmans Cemetery. They were not there this morning. I have been seeing bald eagles this week at the mile marker 17 nest, today none were there.
10 a.m. at the Callahan House, a yellow-bellied sapsucker was added. No eagles at the Metz Road nest nor were they at Milford Beach.
Traveling along the river road I spotted an adult bald eagle perched close to the condominiums at the end of Bennett Avenue. I took a second look at the bird by traveling to Bennett Avenue, where I observed the large adult female bald eagle for a few minutes.
North of Cummings Road is where there was an active nest opposite the Kittatinny Campground above the westbound lane along I-80. The nest is no longer there; however, it is still possible spot bald eagles and common ravens in the area.
Last search we added a stop behind the Delaware Valley School complex and flushed two bald eagles from their perch along the river. I revisited the site; however, no bald eagles were present.
I continued to the Best Western, no luck other than 1,000 European starlings and 50 rock pigeons.
At the River View Restaurant near where Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York converge, I need to request permission at the office for each search. A bald eagle was perched in New Jersey. The bald eagle left its perch and was very vocal as it flew upriver. A common loon was feeding beneath the I-84 bridge. As I was enjoying a sandwich and some tea in the parking area, an adult bald eagle flew to a perch above me. It was harassed by a common crow and left its perch. The bird followed another adult bald eagle carrying a three-foot-long stick as it flew upriver toward the Port Jervis Cemetery, where a bald eagle nest has been reported. I added white-throated sparrow on the way out.
By 12 I was at the Hawks Nest historical marker. Great vista, however, no birds present. Just upriver from where the Mongaup enters the Delaware an adult bald eagle was perched. The Pond Eddy nest sight, a White Pine on the Pennsylvania side of the river, is no more. No eagles present.
I continued to the Mongaup Falls Observation Blind. Crossing the bridge approaching the blind I spotted six very active bald eagles upriver; three were adults and three were juveniles. I entered the parking area and was treated to three perched bald eagles. As I watched from the car an adult bald eagle flew over me. There were 11 eagles along Plank Road, eight adults and three juveniles. Birds were perched, in flight, and fishing, and I saw a juvenile make an attempt to displace an adult without success from its perch. There was so much activity at along Plank Road I doubled back to enjoy the spectacle.
Three bald eagles, two adults and a juvenile, were below the Rio Reservoir dam fishing in the water. I returned to the Delaware and traveled upriver. No eagles at Shohola nest or in the vicinity of the Minisink Observation Blind. An adult bald eagle was flying downriver at the Highland River Access.
On the Pennsylvania side proximal to the Roebling Bridge is the National Park Service Visitor Center, where brochures, newsletters, and information about eagles is made available to visitors.
By the time I reached the Lackawaxen I had seen 35 bald eagles, the most recent perched near the Roebling Bridge. The river, without ice, was high.
One bald eagle along the Lackawaxen,
I concluded the field trip at 4 p.m.
Jack Padalino
Editor's note: Jack Padalino is president emeritus of the Pocono Environmental Education Center (PEEC) and the Brandwein Institute, a partner with the National Park Service. He led the search that included seeing 28 species of birds including 36 bald eagles, four red-tailed hawks, a common raven, and a common loon. Join the next full-day search scheduled for Feb. 3 or the next half-day on Feb. 10. Visit pikecountycourier.com for more information.