While on vacation with a friend, we decided to take a cruise along the Connecticut River. I love water; he loves boats so it was would be perfect for both of us. I always enjoy when the Captain explains special houses or structures on the shore and the history of various areas.
Although not a bird watching trip, Captain Mark Yukrat, who piloted our journey, was extremely knowledgeable about the avian inhabitants of the waterway and part of the team who kept track of the various species of birds found along the river including the Bald Eagle. We set off with a pair of complimentary binoculars for each passenger to be able to see the Eagles up close while listening to the Captains anecdotes. It wasn’t long, before he dashed our hopes.
Never a huge bird watching fan, when the captain began talking about bald eagles my interest was sparked. I’d never seen our national symbol except on T.V. and found myself getting excited over the prospect. Unfortunately, he added we’d be unlikely to see any as they’d already migrated south. He did provide some interesting facts about the species however, which held my attention despite my disappointment.
Dissention Over Our National Symbol
While this majestic bird was ultimately named our National Symbol, some weren’t in agreement with the choice. The most vocal opponent was Benjamin Franklin who stated the Bald Eagle is a poor choice claiming it was a lazy bird, merely sitting in the trees doing next to nothing all day, was a bird of ill repute, stealing fish from other birds, and overall was simply a bird of poor moral character.
Franklin preferred the Wild Turkey, a far less regal bird. (In fact, some might call them ugly as they tend to be scrawny, and their call alone, sounding somewhere between a cluck, yelp, cackle and gobble is enough to make you practically drive off the road when coming upon a group of them all squawking together. In addition they can’t fly far and will only attempt to if frightened, when they might fly up to a meter in height to reach a branch (though they are just as likely to run as fly.) Luckily Franklin was in France when the final decision was made so by the time he returned home the choice had been finalized.
The American Bald Eagle
Captain Yukrat stated that while our National Symbol has been taken off the Federal List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants in 2007 it is still protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act, so wherever they nest they are regularly monitored. The Captain remarked that along the River they had 21 nesting pairs and that year 17 had produced 29 babies. He added in the winter when the Eagles from the north migrate down to Connecticut they generally have over 100 Eagles in the area.
The Captain added that eagles’ nests are extremely well built, very sturdy and the pair adds to their nest each season they return. Many of these nests can ultimately reach over a ton in weight actually snapping the thick tree branch the eagles had chosen to roost on.
These birds mate for life, we were informed, though they may not stay together after migrating. However, they somehow locate their mates, even if they’d been in different countries, returning each year to their breeding ground. Yet if they lose their mate they are quick to find another. As quoted from Julie Victoria, a member of Connecticut’s Department of Environmental Protection, “The Bald Eagle mates for life but mourns for a minute.”
An amusing anecdote that was related involved the interaction between the male and female of the pair as they added to their nest. The Captain stated that several captains had spent time watching the Eagles adding to their nests and they’d noticed that the female remained in the nest while the male eagle flew in search of sticks which it brought back and wedged into the nest. The female would then wait for him to leave again then remove the stick he’d just placed and wedge it elsewhere in the nest. This brought to mind my mother re-arranging furniture such that despite the fact it had been fine for my father for watching TV and for us kids to have space to play, we’d come home to find everything in a different place every so often. The first time it happened my father had asked why she had done it. My mother had simply replied, “It had to be done. It works better this way.” We looked at our father in confusion, and he looked back with a mere shrug, the topic never raised again during subsequent episodes.
Unexpected Excitement
As we were about to round a slight bend in the river, the Captain and First Mate both raised their binoculars and began talking about a white dot. Suddenly, the Captain announced, “It appears I was wrong, folks. If you train your binoculars on the center pine tree on the shore and slowly scan straight up, you should notice what looks like a white dot. When you find it, keep watching and I think you’ll soon determine what you are looking at.”
Before I found the white dot there were several exclamations from newly energized passengers. Not seeing anything I trained my binoculars on the bottom tree and tried again more slowly. This time I saw the white spot and waited to determine what I was looking at. As its body blended in with the tree, until it raised its head fully all I saw was a white spot. Then I noticed the recognizable white head, large hooked beak and deep set, piercing eyes and I didn’t need a dollar bill to recognize what I was looking at.
We all watched the Bald Eagle, as it scanned the area giving us a full view of its head then moved such that we could make out the body and white tail feathers. As it turned out, no one on board, with the exception of the Captain and First Mate had ever seen one in real life and the excitement was palpable.
The Captain slowed the boat giving us plenty of time to watch this amazing sight then made a slow turn to head back. After just a few minutes, the Captain told us to look at the other bank at a particular tree that was not so embedded in foliage. Even closer than before, we had no trouble picking out a second even larger Bald Eagle. This time we saw the bird in its entirety as it also scanned the surroundings, stopping in perfect profile every so often. The Captain stated these two were a mated pair. I asked why they were so far apart and he replied that wasn’t unusual when it wasn’t mating season. Each eagle preferred its own area and didn’t like it encroached upon, even by its own mate. One woman replied, “Sounds like me and my husband,” earning a chuckle all around.
Then silence fell as we observed the eagle which we could see clearly as it moved and peered around. The captain stopped the boat for close to 10 minutes and I don’t think I was the only one who could have remained there all day. We were all clearly enthralled and were still discussing the sight of this magnificent mated pair when we docked.
And to think – We might have ended up with the Wild Turkey as our National Symbol!
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