The Survey Is Complete

While everything in sight was cloaked in a gray mist making it eerily beautiful, mysterious and magical all at the same time, I found myself wondering if I would even spot an Eagle.

It was the day before the Mid Winter Eagle Survey and I was conducting my own  "presurvey" along the route we would take tomorrow.

Difficult to see the finite details in the distant trees across the river, let alone find the familiar shape of a perching raptor, I found myself focusing on branches closer to me.  Facing North, the river above the dam was nearly frozen solid, although water flowed powerfully over the narrow opening of the spillway.

A good distance below the dam, the river appeared to be opening in spots as chunks of ice floated downstream rushing past the overflowing banks.

The driving rains and fog began early Friday and continued while I was out, eating away at the snow for close to 24 hours, so when I woke up Saturday morning, 90 % of the snow in our yard had vanished.  Wondering what the landscape along our route would look like and knowing the forecast, I began loading the car.

As always, I headed out early with the back seat loaded with clothes for the day.  Yes, that morning, when I left at 6:15 am, the temperature was a balmy 59 degrees.  However, by the time I would return home in the afternoon, the temperature would drop 25 degrees with 20-35 mph winds, causing flash freezing.   

Gone was the blanket of fog, making the ice much more visible.  Saturday morning the ice had taken on a new persona...sheer and glass- like.  The intense melting had had caused the river banks to overflow.  

As you can see, while the water along the shoreline was totally thawed, the center of the river remained frozen.  Huge chunks of ice, floated by us as we walked along the water's edge, crashing into and bouncing off of many submerged trees like bumper cars.

At each of our pre-determined locations, I found myself adding an additional layer of clothing, or gloves, or a hat ending finally with "old faithful", a super warm, hooded jacket that is wind/rain resistant.

More than pleased to once again work with the founder of Horizon Wings Raptor Rehabilitation & Education, we only spotted one adult Bald Eagle in 3 1/2 hrs.

However, hooking up with other CT DEEP (CT Department of Energy & Environmental Protection) and TLGV (The Last Green Valley) volunteers after all the teams finished, we discovered our sightings were higher than last year's count and also included an immature Golden Eagle...a rarity here in CT.  Another successful survey.

just seeing, saying, and sharing...

The Survey Is Complete

sharing with you and those at

Natures Notes

One more thing.  Once home and while thawing out, although my wind-burned face really stung, the pain vanished quickly when I stepped out onto the deck shortly after 4 pm and watched one of the adult Eagles soar in toward the old "stomping ground."  Moments later, I found myself snapping pix of the male  perched in a favorite tree before hearing the familiar cry from him as the female flew in from the East.  

Now MY Eagle survey was complete.