Report: Bald eagle sightings up in county
Mill Pond, Edgeboro Landfill among local spots frequented
The bald eagle is alive and well in Middlesex County.

According to a newly released report from the Edison Wetlands Association (EWA) and the Highland Park Environmental Commission (HPEC), local sightings of the bald eagle have dramatically increased in recent years.

The report, "Bald Eagle Sightings in Middlesex County," marks the first time a sightings report and map have been compiled detailing sightings of America's national emblem.

"It is truly inspiring to watch the recovery of this long-endangered national symbol right here in densely populated Middlesex County," said EWA Director of Operations David Wheeler. "It is a tribute both to the tremendous range of habitat here - from Raritan Bay to oldgrowth forest, from freshwater wetlands to some of the state's northernmost Pine Barrens.

The Raritan River Greenbelt near Highland Park is the most active area for bald eagle sightings, with its riverfront bordered by healthy forests and parklands such as Rutgers Ecological Preserve, Highland Park Meadows, Donaldson Park and Johnson Park.

Wheeler produced the report for EWA with assistance from Melanie Worob and Angela Gorczyca, while Joanne Williams and Arnold Henderson compiled the full list of bald eagle sightings in Highland Park - by far the town with the most frequent sightings.

"For me, my first eagle sighting, at Donaldson Park, was the most spectacular," Henderson said. "A high black dot crumpled its wings and dropped toward the river, turning into an adult bald eagle with white head and tail that snatched a fish just a few yards from me, then carried it off. Seeing an eagle actually fishing, plus reports now coming in every season, suggests the eagles use Highland Park's Raritan as foraging grounds, not just migration flyovers."

EWA's report highlights a number of locations throughout the county, including the Rutgers Ecological Preserve in Piscataway, Mill Pond in Milltown, and the Plainsboro Preserve in Cranbury.

Wheeler said that adult bald eagles, with their striking white heads and 7- foot wingspans, are significantly larger than the similar birds seen in the area, such as red-tailed hawks or turkey vultures. Bald eagles usually use areas within one mile of waterways, especially those with minimal human interference. As a result, eagles are regularly sighted at landfills such as Edison's ILR Landfill and East Brunswick's Edgeboro Landfill.

The report is available via EWA's Web site at www.edisonwetlands.org, HPEC's Web site at www.leoraw.com/hpenv, or by calling (732) 287-5111.