Debra LaValley's Blog

Bald Eagle (Orange A over 4) 2/1/14

Eagle Mania

I love bald eagles! They are such a majestic and impressive bird! I am lucky enough to see them fairly regularly in Penacook and Boscawen. Saturday, I was lucky enough to see this adult bald eagle on Eel Street in Boscawen. It was in the top of a tall pine tree. I think it was checking out the large group of mallards in the river (lunch!). I pulled my car over and snapped some photos using my car as a blind. It only stuck around for a couple minutes. I was lucky enough to get a good shot of its left band which read A over 4.

Orange A over 4

I sent the photo of the band to the Sr. Biologist at the NH Audubon, and he confirmed it was Orange A over 4. He also let me know the following about the eagle:

“I agree that the band in your photo from Eel Street in Penacook reads “Orange A over 4.” Bob Vallieres and I visually IDed this same bird in 8/17/2011 at Crete’s Farm in Boscawen, and I believe you reported “Orange A over something” perched at the bend in the river just below Cretes’s on 4/20/2013. When contacted in Aug 2011, the Massachusetts eagle biologists reported that this bird was 1 of 2 chicks banded on 5/21/2007 at the Hockanum Oxbow nest near the Connecticut River in Hadley, MA. This bird is nearly 7 yrs old now.

By the way, Bob Vallieres observed 2 adult eagles (likely including this one) copulating nearby, close to the Hannah Dustin P&R, on Thursday 1/30/2014. Looks like we are definitely on the way towards a local nesting attempt this spring.”

I will be watching the sky for stick carrying eagles! It is all very exciting!