Wild New Jersey Exclusive: Eagle Festival soars in Cumberland County
The 2009 Cumberland County Winter Eagle Festival brought hundreds of birders and outdoor enthusiasts to the Delaware Bayshore for a day of birding hikes, nature displays, animal exhibits, and - most importantly - eagles galore. Wild New Jersey's David Wheeler toured this epicenter of the state's burgeoning eagle recovery on this warm winter day. The event was sponsored by Citizens United, New Jersey Audubon Society, Natural Lands Trust, Conserve Wildlife and Cumberland County.
Bald eagles were plentiful at most of the recommended stops, and an active nest with a mature bald eagle was a highlight near a clamshell trail in Bivalve. A sunset owl watch led by New Jersey Audubon's Don Freiday at the gorgeous Glades Wildlife Refuge (see photo below) may not have turned up any owls, but the hundreds of viewers who joined him got an even more rare sighting - an American bittern rising up from the reeds and turning suddenly in mid-flight so close to the viewers that binoculars were unnecessary. Click here to see some of the other photos from the day.
Photos by David Wheeler and William Halsted, Edison Wetlands Association.
Never realized that eagles were thriving
in NJ
Thanks for the great coverage
Love the blog and look forward to next one
Harv
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