Bald Eagle on the Cadwell Loop on an earlier dateIt wasn’t too long ago that spotting a bald eagle in Vermont was a rare occurrence. Happily, that has changed and seeing one, while always exciting, is no longer that unusual.
This January’s Winter Bald Eagle Survey confirms the trend. According to Margaret Fowle, of Audubon Vermont and coordinator of the survey in the state, 59 eagles were observed on standard routes and other areas. Although this number is down from the prior year’s 81, the number of adults observed was a new record. Overall bald eagles numbers for the survey from its start in Vermont in 1979, when no eagles were observed, have showed a steady increase.
Although a greater number of eagles were found further north in Addison and Chittenden counties along Lake Champlain, Rutland County had its share. RCAS members Mike Blust and Nate Dansereau, surveyed Lake Bomoseen, Lake St. Catherine and Lake Hortonia, coming up with two, one and one respectively. Hortonia’s was a first for the survey.
So keep your eyes open especially now that the ice is going out! And be sure to eBird your sightings!