Long Island Bald Eagles Have Settled In

If you have seen them, you understand the specialness of American Bald Eagles in flight. Their majesty, strength and aura just stands our and captures your imagination. They are the symbol of our country’s power and watching them one understands why.

Over the last five years the American Bald Eagle has successfully returned to Long Island to breed. Many on Long Islanders knows where there is a nest, while others literally are tracking their activities daily. Photographers show up near eagle nests to get some great shots. Bald Eagles never seem to take a bad shot.

Now five plus years into their reintegration into the Long Island ecosystem they are thriving. As one expert explained, the local waters are much cleaner, thus their food supply is more abundant and healthier. They remain in their nest all year round.

I wrote a well received article (https://patch.com/new-york/easthampton/new-generation-long-island-born-bald-eagles) on the Long Island Bald Eagles a few years back so when I went back to the nest I used in that story I ran into someone who spends a l0t of time at the nest. He said, “They hunt in the morning, they are now regular Long Islanders sort of set in their ways.”

So keep your eyes open and you just never know. I was driving not to long ago on Millstone Brook Road, near the Shinnecock Hills Golf Links and right above the stop sign on a lower branch was a huge male Bald Eagle. Another time last fall I was on the Napeague stretch heading towards Montauk where the highway splits to Old Montauk Highway and over Hither Hills Park flying low but distinctly was yet another Bald Eagle. It was zooming around the dunes off the ocean with amazing dips and maneuvers. I had to stop and watch!

Let’s face it, how could they not love living on Long Island? After all it is a unique island with the best islanders in the whole world!