Don's Jersey Birding: The Return of the Bald Eagle is Just the Beginning

 
The return of the Bald Eagle should not be the end of the story, it should be the beginning.
Photo courtesy of Jeff Nichol

by Don Torino

The triumphant return of the Bald Eagle to New Jersey has been making headlines lately, and it should be. With 100 nesting pairs in our state and two of those nesting pairs right here in heavily populated Bergen County, it is surely a time for celebration. On our recent Christmas Bird Count we had 30 Bald Eagles.

Never did I think that in my lifetime I would see this magnificent bird return in these numbers to New Jersey, and I couldn’t have even imagined that it would be nesting right here on Oradell Reservoir and on Overpeck Creek in Ridgefield Park. It gives me goose bumps just saying it. But the eagle did not return on its own. It did not come back by accident or because we wished it to. We need to remember how the eagle managed its incredible comeback and how we got from one pair of birds in the 1980’s to where we are now.


One of the nesting eagles in Ridgefield Park. It took political will to bring about the return of the Bald Eagle to New Jersey.
Photo courtesy of Mike Malzone

The eventual recovery of the Bald Eagle began in 1962 with Rachel Carson’s book “Silent Spring”, which documented the overuse of DDT and its harmful effects on people, animals, and especially birds. Even though there were great attempts to publicly discredit and personally humiliate her, “Silent Spring” led to the outlawing of DDT in 1972 and to what we now call the modern environmental movement.

Next, two landmark pieces of legislation. The Clean Water Act in 1972 and the Endangered Species Act in 1973 gave government agencies and conservation groups the money and encouragement to bring the Bald Eagle back from the brink. None of this would have been accomplished without public outcry and the will of the average citizen.


A Bald Eagle at Overpeck Preserve in Leonia (note the satellite tracking device on its back).
Photo courtesy of Alice Leurck

I often wonder what if we were at that point in history now. Would we be up to the challenge? Could we muster enough political determination to again accomplish something as great as the return of the Bald Eagle? Or would we sit back and say we as Americans can’t do these great things any longer? We don’t have the money, the government is too big, or any other excuses may be what some folks would come up with to keep us from doing what needs to be done.


Bald Eagles have made an amazing return to New Jersey. This eagle was perched near the Passaic River in Paterson.
Photo courtesy of Mike Malzone

The Bald Eagle has returned and we should take some time to reflect and congratulate ourselves. But we should also look at this as the beginning of the story, not an ending. We can use the victory of the symbol of our nation here in New Jersey to give us the resolve to accomplish much more. There is still land that needs to be preserved, wild creatures that need to be saved, and an environment that needs to be cleaned. We can do this; the recovery of the Bald Eagle proves it.

The eagle is back and now our job is to make sure it stays here.



Don Torino is the President of Bergen County Audubon Society.   
 

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Posted by WILDNEWJERSEY at 1/10/2012 7:00 AM
Categories: Don's Jersey Birding
Tags: bald eagles birding eagles christmas bird count birds
 

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  • 1/10/2012 7:48 AM Rick Wright wrote:
    A powerful piece of writing and thinking, Don. I'm afraid the answer is no--I don't see this country as willing or able to do such things nowadays, and it hurts to think that.
    Reply to this
    1. 1/10/2012 10:29 AM Don wrote:
      I am afraid you are right Rick, it is a scary thought to think we now believe we are incapable of great things . we need to keep up the fight
      Reply to this
  • 1/10/2012 2:38 PM Liti wrote:
    Thanks Don for another great post, and beautiful pictures. It's up to all of us to continue the good work. Power is the numbers and numbers come with showing people the beauty and importance of nature surrounding us.
    Reply to this
    1. 1/10/2012 4:07 PM Don wrote:
      Thanks Liti,
      My thoughts exactly, the more people we introduce to nature the more that will do the right thing in the long run
      Reply to this
  • 1/28/2012 1:31 PM Paul wrote:
    Don - I've been looking for Bald Eagles in the area for a while now. My kids are 3 and 5 and love going to the zoo. Seeing a Bald Eagle outside of a zoo would be a great experience for them. I saw one the other day near old hook road perched on a tree limb near the train tracks. Where is the best place to look? Where are the nests?
    Reply to this
    1. 1/31/2012 11:01 AM Don wrote:
      Hi Paul, We don't like giving out exact locations of nest since they are very vulnerable to human disturbance. look for them along Oradell Resevior, down at DeKorte park in the Meadowlands , you can join BCAS on any of our free nature walks where you might see them...good luck Don
      Reply to this
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