EAGLES IN THE EAST
by Jerry Lotterhos
I was 65 before I saw my first Bald Eagle in the wild. This was true even though I grew up in south Louisiana, where there were a few nesting pairs left in the 1950s and 60s in spite of their great demise throughout the country due to DDT poisoning and habitat destruction. I frequently fished in the Honey Island swamp area around the lower Pearl River that borders La. and Miss. At that time, this was one of the wildest areas left in the country and few dared to enter that great swamp out of fear of getting lost or encountering Bigfoot, who supposedly kept his primary harem there. There were also rumors of a bear so big he could bite your back off in one gulp, and of the last ivory billed woodpeckers left anywhere. So, my friends and I pretty much had the place to ourselves--we were too dumb to fear much in those days. And there were eagles there, but I never saw one even though all my friends did. So, in spite of this being our national bird, being chief bird out there, and possibly the most regal of all birds, I was a senior citizen before being able to stand, petrified and awed with chills all over, on the banks of the Tar River in Eastern North Carolina, as one with white head shining in the sun flew casually past me as it traveled up the river. The image of that regal, proud, and determined look was forever imprinted in my brain. I have seen quite a few since then, and been fortunate to photograph the same look, but I always remember the first.
It is amazing to me that we would have allowed this stunningly beautiful creature to almost disappear from the very land which claimed it as our national symbol in 1782. Congress did this after a fierce and prolonged fight(some things never change). An interesting bit of history here was that Benjamin Franklin wanted the Turkey to be our symbol. He said on the senate floor that "the eagle is an immoral thief who would steal from an honest and hardworking Osprey". In the pre-1600s, it is estimated that there were 500,000 nesting pairs in the territory of the 48 states. By 1782, there were only 100,000 nesting pairs, and after habitat destruction and DDT, a grim 417 pairs remained. In 1963, Rachel Carson wrote "The Silent Spring", educating us about DDT, which was finally banned in 1973. The Bald Eagle was placed on the Endangered Species Preservation Act in 1966 and began its dramatic comeback with our serious efforts to restore the population. In 1977, there were about 10,000 nesting pairs and the eagle was taken off threatened status!! This is an amazing recovery and shows what can be done when we get serious about environmental issues. In fact, this entire history of the eagle's demise and recovery should be a lesson for us in all aspects of our environmental issues today.
Today, along the east coast(as well as the rest of the country), the eagle population is growing rapidly and it is now possible to see their white heads shining again! There are an estimated 300 nesting pairs in South Carolina and around 140 pairs in North Carolina. While I will not be providing specific locations where I took the photos you will see below( for protection of the eagles, and because some locations are on private property), I will disclose general areas where I have seen and taken their pics recently. These include the Tar River near Greenville, N.C., Pamlico Sound, Falls Lake, Goose Creek State Park, Mattamuskeet, Pocosin Lakes, eastern N.C. fish farms, and in South Carolina at Huntington Beach State Park, Near Georgetown, and near Charleston. Most of the photos below came from Pitt County, N.C., Mattamuskeet, Goose Creek, or the S.C. coast. WE DO HAVE EAGLES IN THE EAST!!
It is a joy to be able today, to have my two grandsons look up and see what it took me 65 years to find. There should never be another American generation who misses this experience. In spite of its dramatic recovery, the eagle still faces difficulties in the form of dwindling habitat and food supply. One of the significant reasons for the return of the eagle to Eastern N.C. is the fish farms that are here which provide a steady food supply.(and those owners are to be commended and should be subsidized like other farmers for their contribution to the recovery of our national symbol). The eagle today is protected under the new Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act. You can get a free copy of this act at the site just linked. I love the eagles. They are my favorite photo challenge and I never tire of seeing them and trying to capture that "best shot". I am an educational speaker for the American Eagle Foundation located in Pigeon Forge ,Tenn. I provide talks with videos about the eagles for community groups in eastern N.C.(east of I-95). For more information about how to contact me, go to this link at the Foundation and click on North Carolina. The American Eagle Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to education about and protection of the eagles. At their site you can find great information about eagles and if you ever visit Dollywood in Pigeon Forge, their home is on the grounds. See this link to share the egg laying and chick raising experience of Romeo and Juliet performing on their eagle cam in Florida. For super information about eagle taxonomy, check out this link.
Photographing eagles is always a thrill and a spiritual blessing for me! The following photos would not have been possible without all the efforts of people like Rachel Carson and the many others, past and present, who have dedicated themselves to maintaining the presence of this beautiful creature. I hope you enjoy them as much as I enjoyed seeing them and snapping their pic.SEE SLIDESHOW IMMEDIATELY BELOW. SEE VIDEO, "EAGLES IN THE EAST" BELOW SLIDESHOW.
It is amazing to me that we would have allowed this stunningly beautiful creature to almost disappear from the very land which claimed it as our national symbol in 1782. Congress did this after a fierce and prolonged fight(some things never change). An interesting bit of history here was that Benjamin Franklin wanted the Turkey to be our symbol. He said on the senate floor that "the eagle is an immoral thief who would steal from an honest and hardworking Osprey". In the pre-1600s, it is estimated that there were 500,000 nesting pairs in the territory of the 48 states. By 1782, there were only 100,000 nesting pairs, and after habitat destruction and DDT, a grim 417 pairs remained. In 1963, Rachel Carson wrote "The Silent Spring", educating us about DDT, which was finally banned in 1973. The Bald Eagle was placed on the Endangered Species Preservation Act in 1966 and began its dramatic comeback with our serious efforts to restore the population. In 1977, there were about 10,000 nesting pairs and the eagle was taken off threatened status!! This is an amazing recovery and shows what can be done when we get serious about environmental issues. In fact, this entire history of the eagle's demise and recovery should be a lesson for us in all aspects of our environmental issues today.
Today, along the east coast(as well as the rest of the country), the eagle population is growing rapidly and it is now possible to see their white heads shining again! There are an estimated 300 nesting pairs in South Carolina and around 140 pairs in North Carolina. While I will not be providing specific locations where I took the photos you will see below( for protection of the eagles, and because some locations are on private property), I will disclose general areas where I have seen and taken their pics recently. These include the Tar River near Greenville, N.C., Pamlico Sound, Falls Lake, Goose Creek State Park, Mattamuskeet, Pocosin Lakes, eastern N.C. fish farms, and in South Carolina at Huntington Beach State Park, Near Georgetown, and near Charleston. Most of the photos below came from Pitt County, N.C., Mattamuskeet, Goose Creek, or the S.C. coast. WE DO HAVE EAGLES IN THE EAST!!
It is a joy to be able today, to have my two grandsons look up and see what it took me 65 years to find. There should never be another American generation who misses this experience. In spite of its dramatic recovery, the eagle still faces difficulties in the form of dwindling habitat and food supply. One of the significant reasons for the return of the eagle to Eastern N.C. is the fish farms that are here which provide a steady food supply.(and those owners are to be commended and should be subsidized like other farmers for their contribution to the recovery of our national symbol). The eagle today is protected under the new Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act. You can get a free copy of this act at the site just linked. I love the eagles. They are my favorite photo challenge and I never tire of seeing them and trying to capture that "best shot". I am an educational speaker for the American Eagle Foundation located in Pigeon Forge ,Tenn. I provide talks with videos about the eagles for community groups in eastern N.C.(east of I-95). For more information about how to contact me, go to this link at the Foundation and click on North Carolina. The American Eagle Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to education about and protection of the eagles. At their site you can find great information about eagles and if you ever visit Dollywood in Pigeon Forge, their home is on the grounds. See this link to share the egg laying and chick raising experience of Romeo and Juliet performing on their eagle cam in Florida. For super information about eagle taxonomy, check out this link.
Photographing eagles is always a thrill and a spiritual blessing for me! The following photos would not have been possible without all the efforts of people like Rachel Carson and the many others, past and present, who have dedicated themselves to maintaining the presence of this beautiful creature. I hope you enjoy them as much as I enjoyed seeing them and snapping their pic.SEE SLIDESHOW IMMEDIATELY BELOW. SEE VIDEO, "EAGLES IN THE EAST" BELOW SLIDESHOW.