Eagle Viewing in the Upper Delaware Valley
By Peter Osborne

Courtesy of John Herron

From November to March, large numbers of bald eagles winter over in the Port Jervis area. It is estimated that 250 eagles, coming mainly from Quebec, Canada, stay here and use the open rivers as a primary food source. From the Delaware Water Gap to Hancock, New York, some 120 miles, eagles have made this area their home, the largest gathering of wintering eagles east of the Mississippi River.

A large number of eagles have been "hacked" or moved into the area and are now flourishing, so much so that they have been taken off the endangered species list. It is not uncommon to see eagles soaring over Port Jervis and to see as many as 15 or 20 when one travels north of the city on Route 97 for ten or fifteen mile. See the map below for the best viewing locations.

They are magnificent to watch, both perched in trees along the river and soaring on the updrafts. Please follow the eagle etiquette suggestions that follow if you plan to come and look for the eagles. And as you watch them, recall the words of John Denver's popular song:

Bald eagles are not very tolerant of human activity. Human presence can stress the birds and negatively affect their feeding and roosting. The energy they use to avoid human disturbances is no longer available for other uses during the winter. Repeat disturbances can cause problems for the eagle, especially in heavily visited viewing areas along the Delaware River.

For this reason the New York Audubon Society has put together some eagle viewing guidelines, which they feel will provide the least intrusive and most successful viewing opportunities. They suggest that you follow the preferred "eagle etiquette:"

• Remain in or immediately next to your vehicle.
• Use binoculars: don't try to get "just a little bit closer."
• Remain quiet; no loud music, door slamming or yelling
• Don't do anything to try and make the bird fly
• Respect private property and restricted areas

For your safety if you come back to the Upper Delaware, we also suggest that you:

• Pull completely off the road and park in designated areas
• Watch for oncoming and passing traffic
• Be prepared for ice, snow and deep mud
• Avoid hypothermia and dress for extreme cold

Map Courtesy of New York Audubon Eagle Project