Bald Eagles Abound!

Big Bear Lake’s bald eagles may be gaining popularity on their eagle cam, but we’ve got some of our own! They’re still a rare sight but as we swing into spring, a few bald eagles have been spotted around the area lately and caught on camera!

As seen on our front page, on February 28, Karen McDonald spotted a handsome bald eagle on her walk around the east side of the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge. Around March 13, Kenny Monahan spotted a juvenile bald eagle on the west side of the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge. And as we go to press, on Wednesday, March 19, Tim Moriarty caught an adult hanging around the bayside inlet by Beach 59th Street in Rockaway.

While still rare, bald eagles have been spotted around Jamaica Bay in recent years, and a pair has even started nesting on Ruffle Bar in the bay over the past few years. Two were even seen soaring above Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge during the American Littoral Society’s Raptorama event in October. Just in time, the American Littoral Society is hosting an early spring migration bird walk on Saturday, March 22 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Jamaica Bay Guardian Don Riepe will be leading this hike around the ponds and gardens to look for returning osprey, phoebes, glossy ibis, and many other early spring migrants, and folks could see one of our neighborhood bald eagles. The walk is free for members and $10 for non-members. Tickets are available at: www.littoralsociety.org/upcoming-events.html