Weekly Bald Eagle Report
Wed. 03/01
At 12:35 a dark immature BE flew W->E over Great Bay NWR's old Weapons Storage Area, over the refuge office, then headed toward Upper Peverly Pond & OOS. Bird was quite dark with only traces on white in under wings. May be same bird seen on east tip of Woodman Point during the late winter survey day.
Fri. 03/03 14:30 - 18:00 26° partly cloudy W winds ~25mph; gusting to ~40 mph.
SUMMARY: 4 eagles seen at Wilcox Point - 2 adults; 1 dark immature; 1 very white-bellied immature.
Nothing seen until 16:21 when 2 BE's found perched in a deciduous tree near shore just north of the north end of the pine roost area on Wilcox Point. 1 adult (A1) preening & 1 dark immature (I1) just looking around.
16:38 I1 flew a bit south & landed in pine just on north end of roost area behind prominent birch tree on shore.
16:40 A1 flew to south beyond Wilcox Pt, but turned & landed in the same pine as I1.
16:47 A1 flew & flushed I1 & a previously unseen white-bellied immature (i2) from back side of same pine. I2 immediately relocated in the same pine facing east & displaying a very full white breast where it remained until dark. A1 & I1 continued north along the Wilcox Pt shoreline to the next cove where I1 turned & joined I2, while A1 continued north up Crommet Creek & OOS.
17:35 A2 flew from south & into the south tree of WX2 at Wilcox Pt.
17:46 A1? flew N->S over the pine roost & landed in WX2 near A2.
Dick Hughes
1600-1715. A total of three eagles seen, two adults and one imm.
A1 and A2 located on Wilcox pt. A1 perched in W2 and A2 perched in a small hardwood tree on the shoreline just south of W2. A1 flew to the roost at 1631. 1636, A2 gone not to be seen again. Between 1604 and 1617 there was an imm (white backpack and wing pits) soaring over the refuge. Eventually flew north oos. At 1645 the same imm reappeared, flew out around the Footman islands and flew to W2. Remained there until until I left.
Bruce
02/06/2006 14:55 - 17:35 32° partly cloudy 10-15mph/NW (calm by 17:00)
3 Bald Eagles seen: 1 adult; 1 dark immature; 1 white-bellied, white-backed immature with white tail panel.
14:55 White-bellied IM perched on deciduous tree on east shore or eastern point of Woodman Point. It remained there looking around until 15:09 when it defecated, turned on the branch, then flew west, then north along the Woodman Point shoreline toward Thomas Point.
16:17 White-bellied IM found perched on south tree of WX2 at Wilcox Point roost area - probably same bird.
17:07 Dark immature IM flew from the north into the south tree of WX2 just behind the first bird - very hard to see after landing.
17:19 Adult BE seen headed toward WX2 from the south, but just as it approached, it turned south along the Wilcox Pt shoreline as far as the open field, then back to the north, past the roost area and landed in tall, slender snag about half way between WX2 and WX1. It was still there when the 'lights went out'.
Dick Hughes
01/27/2006 15:00-17:15 33° partly cloudy 5-10/NW wind
4 eagles seen entering Wilcox Point roost area: 1 adult, 3 immature (1 white-bellied, 2 mottled).
No eagle activity seen until 16:33 when a white-bellied, white-backed immature BE with a white tail panel flew N->S along the Wilcox Pt shoreline, past WX2, then turned behind the pines & landed in a pine just south of WX2.
16:53 Adult BE also flew N->S along Wilcox Pt & landed in south tree of WX2.
17:04 Mottled immature BE flew from the north into the north tree of WX2, followed by a 2nd mottled bird a minute later. Adult made a brief repositioning flight.
17:07 Adult flew & chased one of the mottled birds to the south, around the back side of the roost pines. Both returned to their original perches at 17:09
. All immature birds were no longer visible once they perched.
Dick Hughes
Carol Foss brought six of her Winter Ecology graduate students to Great Bay in search of waterfowl at Lubberland Creek and bald eagles at Adams Point. They came with expectations of finding 5 eagles & so they did: 1 adult & 4 immatures.
12:30-16:30; 50+ degree temps, mostly cloudy skies; 10-15mph SW winds increasing to gale force about 15:30.
~14:15 First immature eagle seen from parking area. It was flying over the refuge shoreline near Furber Strait, then landed in pine along Ferry Way trail at Great Bay NWR - not found after it perched. Several minutes later an immature eagle flew south along refuge shoreline toward Woodman Point.
~14:40 mottled immature found perched on branch pine along refuge shoreline north of Thomas Point. This bird remained until 15:20 when it left perch and headed north up Little Bay. Later same? bird flew E->W over Adams Point, then over Crommet Creek and south along Wilcox Point shoreline.
~15:00 2 white-bellied immature eagles (at least one with a white back also) soared together over the refuge shoreline south of Welsh Cove. Birds remained in sight for ~7 minutes as they drifted south toward Woodman Point & OOS.
16:05 Adult eagle found perched in WX1 (twin pines at Wilcox Point). It remained there until we left at 16:30.
~16:20 White-bellied, white-backed eagle with white panel in tail flew across Furber Strait low over the water into the gale breeze, past Footman Islands and to the Wilcox Point roost area
. Five eagles is the largest number that I have observed in one session this season. At least three used Wilcox Point roost area.
Dick Hughes
Day 1 after the close of water fowl hunting season (no duck hunters!!)...all was quiet on Great Bay with plenty of ducks, geese, and whistling swans (3) around Footman Islands. Nice day...sunny, calm and around 35 deg F. Bay has plenty of open water with some floating ice flats. Clouds starting to gather in the south...forecasted front moving in.
14:47 Upon arrival to Adams Pt while crossing the isthmus by the boat ramps, I was once again greeted by the same dark immature bald eagle flying from north to south down the bay disappearing around the east side of Adams Pt. I could not believe it happened a second time after nearly a month. Great feeling...must have recognized the little tan truck!
15:03 Spotted one adult Bald Eagle perched at TH1 of Thomas Pt. in the "posted" large old "Y" pine tree...common perching location directly across from Adams Pt. Scanned the shoreline south to Thomas Pt and beyond in hopes to spot the dark immature who was headed in that direction. Did not observed any additional eagles on the east shore.
15:25 Adult Eagle leaves perch area...did not observe its departure...checking out Wilcox Pt at the time. No eagles observed at Wilcox Pt roosting area.
15:40 Adult Eagle returns to the same perch limb at TH1 of Thomas Pt. Eagle watching both ducks and geese as they float by with the out going tide...some catching a ride on ice floats.
16:05 Observed a dark (back) immature eagle fly in to Wilcox Pt and land near the top of a pine tree southwest of WX2. Lighting conditions obscured exact perch location or observation of eagle.
16:22 Observed another dark immature eagle again fly in to Wilcox Pt area about the same location of the first at 16:05. It may be the same eagle since I did not locate the first one at WX2. Again, with the light conditions deteriorating did not observe its perch location.
16:44 Finally, the adult at TH1 flies out headed for Wilcox Pt. As the adult approaches the shoreline near WX2, a second eagle (immature, I think) is observed in flight and both fly above the tree line of Wilcox and out over the bay with the adult chasing the immature. They both circle back and fly back over Wilcox Pt tree line out of sight to the southwest.
16:53 One eagle returns from the southwest behind Wilcox Pt tree line and lands near the top of a pine tree near WX2. Too dark and too far to identify if it was the adult or immature. I think there are least two immatures in the roosting area...did not see the adult return.
17:05 Left area...too dark for observations.
Eagles observed: 1 adult; at least 3 immatures.
Dennis Krause Atkinson, NH
T'was a beautiful 'spring' day on the bay, with only 2 eagles seen briefly: 01/13/2006 15:00-17:00; 51 degrees; partly cloudy, with haze diminishing view of Wilcox Point; little wind and a mirror-like surface on the bay.
No eagle activity observed until 16:49 when a white-bellied immature landed in the north tree of WX2 at Wilcox Pt.
16:52 a dark immature flew in from the north into the south tree of WX2.
Dick Hughes
Partial Report of Midwinter Eagle Survey from Woodman Point on Great Bay NWR. 08:55 - 17:00; ~20 degrees; Clear; Wind ~20/west; a few whitecaps on the bay.
Summary: 4 eagles seen flying around the bay in the morning & perched or roosting at Wilcox Point in the afternoon.
1 adult (A1)
1 white bellied imm w/backpack & white tail panel (I3)
1 light bellied imm (not as white as above) (I2)
1 dark imm (I1)
08:55 No eagles seen initially, but because of the recent weather there were many clumps of snow in the trees at Wilcox Point to eliminate as potential eagles.
09:25 USCG boat flushed lots of waterfowl between Footman Islands & SeaCliff area.
09:48 I1 flew S->N along Woodman Pt shore & over Hoyt Hill toward Thomas Pt. flushing ducks in Woodman Pt cove.
10:12 3 Imm BE's (I1, I2 & I3) interacting over trees in cove between Thomas & Woodman Pts. 2 flew S along Woodman Pt & the other N.
10:46 Hunter in inflatable boat moving S->N midbay; continued past Thomas Pt.
11:01 I2 flew from N, across Woodman Pt cove, then S just above tree line.
12:01 I3 made a unsuccessful attempt on one of 20 Black Ducks foraging along the shore of the Woodman Pt cove. Ducks flushed & I3 flew off to N.
12:22 A1 & I3 interacting over shoreline between Woodman & Thomas Pts.
12:26 A1 & I3 flew S together, then SE over Woodman Pt; then both flew N along shoreline toward Thomas Pt at 12:30.
12:42 I1 flew S->N well off Woodman Pt shoreline.
12:59 I2 flew N->S along Wilcox Pt shoreline from near WX1 to perch precariously on top of a tall slender snag in 'open' area between WX1 & WX2, the off again to S & lost.
13:06 A1 perched & preening in south tree of WX2.
13:09 A1 flew WX2->WX1 (twin pines) where it remained for the rest of the day.
13:55 Found I2 perched in south tree of WX2.
14:20 I2 gone from WX2.
16:14 I2 in south tree of WX2 & I3 in north tree of WX2. Sunset has improved visibility at Wilcox Pt.
16:32 I1 flew W from Woodman Pt salt marsh area, then WSW to Durham shore then N to land in north tree of WX2 above I3.
16:55 A1 has remained in WX1 since 13:09, but now my lights have gone out. I watched for its arrival at WX2 area for ~5 minutes, but it didn't show up.
Dick Hughes
A nice partly cloudy day on the bay with little wind until sundown. Total of 3 different eagles seen: 1 adult, 1 white-bellied immature & 1 dark immature. Hunters using the Wilcox Pt shoreline may have been a bit disruptive to perched eagles with coming & going of boat.
10:30 White-bellied Immature BE perched in deciduous tree along refuge shoreline just south of Thomas Point. Then flew north along shoreline.
13:30 Adult perched in south tree of WX2 at Wilcox Point, while around the bend to the north a hunter's boat is beached on shore just south of WX1. Both apparently oblivious to each other.
13:55 Adult flew quickly to the west behind the roost trees. Then several gunshots followed after the bird had left.
14:11 Hunter w/dog walking along Wilcox Pt shoreline from S-> N then into boat & off to the south & lost past SeaCliff in Newmarket at 14:19.
14:19 Boat is back again - greeted by previously unseen hunter in blind just south of earlier beaching, then continued on to beach it at the same spot as before. Man & dog joined other hunter at blind.
15:00 Fog moving in from S->N along with a solid bank of dark clouds from the SE dimming view of Wilcox Point.
15:22 Boat had apparently left as it returned once again to the same spot.
15:40 White-bellied immature landed in south tree of WX2.
16:09 Dark immature flew over bay from SW toward Thomas Point & was joined in flight by adult over cove between Thomas & Woodman Points on the refuge shoreline. Both birds flew off north toward Thomas Point.
16:37 Hunters left Wilcox Point headed toward Adams Point after retrieving their decoys including the 'flapping mechanical decoy'.
No other eagles seen by 16:45, white-bellied still in WX2.
Dick Hughes
Hello all, We observed a mostly mature bald eagle (still a bit speckled around head) perched at Moody Point, by the mouth of the Lamprey R., between 7 and 8 AM this morning (Wed. 28 Dec.) It may have been there earlier (all night?) It flew off in the direction of Chapman's Landing a couple of minutes before 8 AM.
Cheers,
Andra Crawford & Dave Arnold
Hi all,
We observed an imm. bald eagle perched at Shackford Point on Great Bay at the mouth of the Lamprey R. this morning between 8 and 9 AM. It looked very dark - maybe a first year bird.
Andra Crawford & Dave Arnold
Newmarket
15:00 - 16:45 Wilcox Point roost check = 1 adult & 2 white-bellied immatures.
15:00 Hunters were present along north shore of Wilcox Point on front of the twin pines (WX1). There were two strings of decoys, including one decoy that was constantly flapping wings as though trying in vain to take off!
To the south & around a point a white-bellied immature bald eagle (I1) perched in the south tree of WX2 in the roost area. I guess the eagles & hunters can coexist as long as they're out sight of each other.
16:12 2nd white-bellied immature BE (I2) flew from behind Woodman Point & continued north along refuge shoreline & out-of-sight north of Thomas Point. This bird also had a white back-pack & a white tail panel.
16:17 White-bellied BE (I2?) landed in the north tree of WX2 at Wilcox Point at the same height as I1.
16:24 Adult BE (A1) flew S->N past tip of Woodman Pt & along refuge shoreline following similar route as I2. Also disappeared north of Thomas Point. I didn't see this bird or any other join the two immatures at Wilcox Point.
Dick Hughes
03/31/05 16:30 = 18:35 48 degrees mostly cloudy wind 1-3 mph/SW.
SUMMARY: We still have at least 2 adult bald eagles at the bay.
16:30 The first was perched in a shoreline deciduous snag on Wilcox Point about midway between WX1 & WX2.
16:46 2nd adult BE flew NW from Woodman Pt area & landed in the same tree as 1st adult.
18:06 After over an hour of inactivity A2 hopped up to the same branch as A1.
18:10 One after the other each adult left the perch & flew N or NE & lost north of Thomas Pt.
18:35 No sign that either eagle had returned to Wilcox Pt to roost.
Dick Hughes
03/25/05 15:25-18:30 45degrees mostly cloudy wind NW @15-20mph.
16:40 Adult BE occasionally preening in the north tree of Perch WX2 at Wilcox Point. Eagle season is winding down - this was the only eagle I saw today. I stayed until 'lights out' at 18:30 expecting to see another adult join the first, but no.
Dick Hughes
03/19/05 16:20 - 18:20 44 degrees Clear skies Wind ~15mph/NW, then 5-10/W at 17:40.
SUMMARY: 4 Bald Eagles: 3 adults & 1 white-bellied, light headed. All seen at Wilcox Point night roost.
Nothing seen until 17:11 when 1st adult (A1) found in north tree of WX2 at Wilcox Pt.
17:16 2nd adult (A2) landed in the same tree just below A1.
17:19 2rd adult (A3) landed in the south tree of WX2, displacing a previously unseen white-bellied immature with a light head (I1) who returned to the same branch as A3. A3 fanned its tail several times without showing a dark terminal band & its head appears just as white at the other 2 adults. A3 hopped from branch to branch several times & I1 moved closer to the tree trunk, but A1 & A2 didn't move after they landed.
Dick Hughes
03/05/05 16:15-18:00 33 degrees clear skies wind SW @ 15-20mph.Summary: 5 eagles: 2 adults & 3 immatures - all birds seen at Wilcox Point.
16:15 3 eagles perched in snag near shore at Wilcox Pt about midway between WX1 & WX2. 1 adult (A1) very high up, 1 adult (A2) about halfway & 1 slightly mottled Imm perched on the back side of the tree near A2.
17:12 I1 flew south & into the pine roost area behind prominent birch tree on shoreline. Found 2 Imms (I2 & I3) perched in pine roost slightly south of I1's location.
17:22 I2 flew south to the south tree of Perch WX2. I3 moved on the same branch closer to the trunk.
17:47 A2 flew south to the north tree of WX2.
18:00 No other activity seen. A1 still perched in snag - can just barely make it out.
Dick Hughes
Start @ 10:15; 21 deg; clear; ~5/N - End @ 17:55; 25 deg; mostly cloudy; ~5/SW.
SUMMARY: 2 adults, 3 immatures (1 dark, 1 mottled & 1 osprey-faced. All eagle activity was observed around Woodman and Wilcox Points.
10:15 Osprey-faced Imm (I1) perched on NW side of Woodman Point in pine WD3, where it remained until 11:54 when it flew to the south.
12:02 Darkish Imm (I2) flew around tip of Woodman Pt & interacted with adult (A1) that landed in pine along west shore of Woodman Pt between WD3 & Perch D, where it displaced I1, who flew off to the south.
12:06 A1 flew north & then NE & OOS.
12:08 Adult (A2) perched at Wilcox Pt in Perch WX2. Gone at 12:10.
12:13 Both adults flying around Woodman Pt together, then off to south. 1 adult & 1 immature landed briefly in Perch D, the both off to south.
13:51 Adult perched in south tree of WX2 at Wilcox Pt, where it remained.
14:42 Imm BE flying around the tip of Woodman Pt.
14:48 3 Imm BE's flying together around Woodman Pt - I1 & I2 and a mottled Imm (I3) without a white belly.
14:58 I1 landed in WD3, moved over to WD2 for a few minutes, then off to the south.
15:20 I1 glided S->N along W shore of Woodman Pt toward Thomas Pt.
17:24 2 mottled Imms (I1? & I3?) flew from the north into Wilcox Pt. One landed in south tree of Perch WX2 & the other in a pine a little farther to the south.
17:42 2nd adult flew from the south into the north tree of WX2, hopped a couple of times to lower branches before it settled in. Only saw 4 BE's at the Wilcox Pt roost area.
Dick
01/12/2005 -> 15:40-17:25 -> 38degrees -> mostly cloudy -> wind=10-15/W. Much more open water - bay is generally open except for shallow coves. SUMMARY = 6 Bald Eagles: 2 adults, 1 subadult, 3 immatures.
15:40 Adult BE (A1) perched on N side of S tree of WX2 at Wilcox Pt. when I arrived.
15:55 Found Subadult BE (S1) perched on S side of S tree of WX2 at same level as A1. S1 has dull white head & tail. It later repositioned, displaying a dark band on the tip of the tail.
16:43 A1 made a brief flight settling on the N side of the N tree of WX2.
16:63 2nd Adult BE (A2) landed on the same branch as A1 & immediately after a white-bellied BE (I1) , with a light backpack, white tail panels & a light head landed on the N side of the S tree of WX2 below the level of A1&A2.
17:03 found 2nd Imm BE (I2) on the W (back) side of the S tree of WX2 bleow level of S1. I2 unseen until now, but it spread wings or tail displaying a flashes of white through the pine needles. It did this several more times.
17:08 S1 repositioned to a lower branch of the same tree.
17:10 A2 flew to the N tree of WX2 joining A1.
17:15 6th BE, a mottled Imm (I3) flew into the S side of the S tree of WX2 below both S1 & I2.
Dick
02/05/05 15:30-17:20 47degrees sky=clear wind=calm. Still lots of ice on bay, but much melting has occurred - the open water runs thru Ferber Strait & south beyond Woodman Point & around Nannie Island.
Summary: 2 adults; 1 immatures (1 dark w/minimal mottling).
15:42 Dark immature BE (IM1) w/minimal white mottling under wings &belly flew north along west shore of GBNWR from Woodman Pt to Thomas Pt & OOS.
15:45 No BEs perched at Woodman Pt or Wilcox Pt.
16:09 1 adult BE (AD1) perched at Wilcox Pt in south tree of WX2.
16:25 2nd adult BE (AD2) flew from north or NE, flushing waterfowl from open water & landed on same branch in WX2 as AD1.
16:34 Dark IMM (IM1?) flew south from from Thomas Pt over the open water & landed on the ice on the edge of the open water, well SW of the tip of Woodman Pt.
17:04 IM1? flew from ice headed east. Watched the roost area for any sign of this bird, but I was not able to see another bird join the adults there.
Dick Hughes
01/29/05 15:30-17:15 30degrees partly->mostly cloudy wind=5-10 WSW. Bay covered by ice - the only open water is the channel running thru Ferber Strait & extending south beyond Thomas Point & Footman Islands.
Summary: 3 adults; 2 immatures (1 white-bellied, 1 dark w/minimal mottling).
15:42 Hundreds of Canada Geese flying south over west side of bay. Then dark immature BE (IM1) w/minimal white mottling under wings & belly flew along west shore of GBNWR. It continued south to the tip of Woodman Pt, then retraced its path back to the north.
15:55 No BEs perched at tip of Woodman Pt.
16:05 2 adult BEs & 1 white-bellied immature BE (IM2) perched in pines at Wilcox Pt. AD1 in north tree of WX2 near south end of roost area. AD2 in pine a little farther south of WX2. IM2 in south tree of WX2.
16:29 IM2 flew south from WX2 & landed in another pine near AD2.
16:32 AD2 made brief flight, but returned to same tree.
16:57 AD3 flew from the north & landed in WX2 just above AD1
17:00 Dark immature (IM1?) flew from the north & into the south tree of WX2.
Dick Hughes
14:00 - 17:00 Temp=20 degrees overcast slight westerly breeze Lots of ice on bay.
Summary: 5 BE's: 2 ADs; 1 highly mottled IMM; very dark IMM; sparsely mottled IMM.
14:00 AD BE (A1) perched in snag at tip of Woodman Pt (Perch D).
14:17 Vocalization from A1 as slightly mottled IMM BE (I1) flew south along the west shore of Woodman Pt, then circled over the tip of the point before drifting off to SE.
14:48 A1 vocalized again as a very dark IMM BE (I2) flew SE ->NW over the tip of Woodman Pt.
15:17 After repeated short bursts of vocalization, about every 2-3 minutes A1 left Perch D & dropped low over water & interacted briefly with very mottled & light headed IMM BE (I3). Both flew off to west & difficult to follow flight through the trees.
15:20 AD BE (A2) Also flew from Perch D & moved off to NW. I hadn't seen this one as it was perched on the same branch as A1, but right behind the tree trunk.
15:23 BE (silhouette only) flew from well west of Woodman Pt to the SE & one of the adults flew NW-> SE toward Woodman Pt & then south along the west shore of the point.
15:25 I2? on the ice near entrance to Crommet Ck just north of a large cluster of waterfowl (mostly Canada Geese) & I3? perched in twin pines at Wilcox Pt (Perch WX1).
15:41 I2? is gone from the ice & I3? is gone from WX1. Nothing on Perch D at Woodman Pt.
16:26 A1? perched in south tree of WX2 at Wilcox Pt & I3? perched in a pine just to south.
16:36 A1? flew & joined A2? as it flew into Wilcox Pt & both landed on the same branch in the north tree of WX2. For the next 20 minutes there were short flights & displacementsby 2 adult & 3 immature BE's. The end result was that A1, A2 & I3 went into the pine roost behind the shoreline birch tree just north of WX2. 2nd IMM last seen in WX2 & 3rd in pine south of WX2.
Lots of action today
Dick
15:00-17:00 ~30 degrees; mostly cloudy; wind calm
15:00 No eagles in sight.
15:29 As shadows changed at Wilcox Pt, found immature BE perched in the south tree of Perch WX2. Bird has a lot of white on lower parts, back & head -- may be osprey-faced IM seen on midwinter eagle survey day.
16:14 Adult flew high into north tree of Perch WX2, displacing the IM, who resettled in the back side of the same tree.
16:16 2nd adult flew in from the north & settled next to the 1st adult -- appears to be on same branch.
16:24 1st adult hopped around & finally settled in same tree, directly below the 2nd adult. 17:00 End.
Summary: 1 clean adult & 1 dark immature.
14:50 adult BE perched in twin pines (WX1) at Wilcox Point.
15:25 dark IMM flew from the north & landed in WX1 in a branch directly above the adult, who tossed its head back several times as though vocalizing. IMM not visible after landing.
15:59 adult flew directly south & landed in a pine in the roost area north of Perch WX2 & directly behind the prominent birch on the Wilcox Pt shoreline. Not seen again.
16:32 IMM flew south & landed in pine just south of Perch WX2 (probably in/near WR5).
H A P P Y N E W Y E A R ! ! !
Dick Hughes
Hello all, Wednesday was opening day of my eagle watching season.
14:34 I found an adult perched &preening heavily in the twin pines (WX1) at Wilcox Point. I don't know if it just flew in or was there all along. It's very noticeable when sitting still or preening the tail area, otherwise very hard to see.
16:05 it flew south &landed in Perch WX2 pine, where it remained until 16:30 when it again flew to the south, circled above &behind the roost pines for ~2 minutes before settling into a pine just south of WX2.
Dick Hughes
