Catching a glimpse of an eagle in the wild used to be next to impossible. Thanks to conservation efforts though, the local eagle population has rebounded, and enthusiasts will have a chance to spot and learn more about the birds this month.
Several groups have planned eagle-related activities around the region, including Eagle Day at the PPL Wallenpaupack Environmental Learning Center, Hawley on Jan. 25.
Free activities at the center run from 1 to 4 p.m. and begin with a presentation by Bill Streeter of Delaware Valley Raptor Center.
"He brings eagles and raptors and lots of birds with him," said Bethany Keene, outreach and events coordinator for Delaware Highlands Conservancy, which planned the event with the learning center.
That program will last an hour, and for the rest of the day visitors can participate in family-geared activities like bird banding and nest building. And since the learning center sits right on the lake, Keene said guests might spot some eagles during their trip in addition to those Streeter brings.
"It's going to be a fun day," she said. "It's going to be a great way to learn. It's a fun opportunity, and you get to see birds that you would very rarely get to see in the wild right up close."
Enthusiasts also can participate in several eagle watches scheduled for next week, too. Monroe County Conservation District Environmental Education Center, Stroudsburg, will hold a watch from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Jan. 24, and Pocono Environmental Education Center, 538 Emery Road, Lehman Township, will follow with a watch from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Jan. 25. Endless Mountains Nature Center, 1309 Vosburg Road, Tunkhannock, will wrap up the local activities with Eagle Day from 2 to 5 p.m. Feb. 2. All three events require paid admission.
Also on Jan. 25, Lackawanna Audubon Society will hold a free eagle watch. Anyone interested in participating can meet at the rest stop on Interstate 84 east by mile marker 25 at 8:30 a.m. or at the Milford Beach boat launch, Route 6, Milford, at 9 a.m. Participants then will carpool to the Delaware and Lackawaxen rivers and Rio Reservoir as they search the skies for eagles.
"The Delaware River and the Lackawaxen are always good spots," said Derry Bird, a member of the society's board of directors. "Since the eagles have come back, they've become even better."
The society's trip will mainly look for bald eagles, of which many now nest in the area thanks to the strengthening of their numbers in recent years. A watcher recently counted 55 bald eagles, Bird said. Participants might spot a golden eagle, he added, although that is more rare.
Lots of people participate in eagle watches, Bird said, calling the bald eagle a "magnificent bird."
"It's the symbol of America," he said.