An adult bald eagle grabs a green-winged teal at the Forsythe Refuge. Freelance photographer Mike DeBonis, of Yardley, Pa., said taking the photo, along with a series of other shots of the encounter, was ‘a once-in-a-lifetime event.’
Photo credit: Press of Atlantic City

Bald eagles continue to make a dramatic recovery in New Jersey, according to the state’s census released this week. Biologists counted 84 pairs — a record number — during the latest winter nesting season. By comparison, the state Division of Fish and Wildlife recorded 69 eagle pairs last year, a state record at the time.