Six Places to See the Bald Eagles

A bald eagle in flight on the North River near Damon's Point. Photo by Keri Buccafusca.

Have you heard about the bald eagles that are nesting on the North River? Have you seen them?

For the past century, to observe a bald eagle in the wild would be a rare occurrence. To see one on the South Shore -- inconceivable! But thanks to repopulation efforts, the once endangered species is now making a comeback across Massachusetts.

The bald eagle is widely recognized as a symbol of the United States. In fact, since 1782, it has been considered our national emblem, appearing on coins, the presidential flag, and the country’s Great Seal. While not technically bald, the eagle’s head is white, standing out distinctly from its bright yellow bill and legs, and the darkly colored feathers of its body.

The bald eagle is one of the largest birds in North America. It weighs 6 to 13 pounds, and measures two to three feet in height, with a wingspan extending an average of six feet across. Its size makes it easy to spot!

A bald eagle in flight on the North River near Damon's Point. Photo by Keri Buccafusca.

Bald eagles make their homes in forested areas, near large bodies of water. Proximity to the ocean, a lake or reservoir, or a marsh or river, is important, as is the relative lack of development in the area. Bald eagles will tolerate human activity, especially near food sources, but they prefer to nest in more isolated spots. Probably the best places to observe them are food related: when they are perched in tall trees on the lookout for their next meal, or when they’re flying over the water in search of fish. In addition to fish such as herring and shad, our local eagles are known to dine on an array of smaller species -- seabirds, crabs, rabbits, reptiles -- both alive and as carrion. Bald eagles are notorious for stealing captured (or killed) prey from other creatures.

Bald eagles build their nests just below the crowns of trees -- up high, and close to the trunk. Their nests are quite large -- five or six feet wide and 2-4 feet deep. That’s big! Sticks are the primary building material, followed by grass, moss and other vegetable matter, which helps not only to fill in the gaps, but to provide a soft lining.

A juvenile bald eagle on the North River in Marshfield. Photo by Keri Buccafusca.

So why isn’t it common for us to see bald eagles here on the South Shore? Very likely, it used to be -- more than 100 years ago. The first negative impact was the destruction of their habitat. As the region became more developed, the eagles fled. Even more influential was the widespread use of the pesticide DDT. Throughout the latter half of the 20^thcentury, bald eagle populations across North America went into a steep decline. Why? Because DDT depleted the calcium in the eagle’s metabolism, which in turn softened the shells of the eggs it laid, making them significantly less viable. The result was catastrophic. Breeding essentially ceased. Fortunately, the use of DDT was banned in 1972. A decade later, Mass Audubon and the state Division of Fisheries and Wildlife joined forces to restore the bald eagle population in Massachusetts.

From 1982 to 1988, young bald eagles were brought -- from Michigan, Manitoba and Nova Scotia -- to a protected area at the Quabbin Reservoir in Central Massachusetts, where they were nurtured and eventually released into the wild. These efforts proved successful. In 1989, the first offspring from those eagles hatched, fledged, and matured. Slowly but surely the bald eagle population in Massachusetts began to grow. By 2012, there were 38 breeding pairs, with nests reported not only at the Quabbin, but also along the Connecticut and Merrimack Rivers, at Arcadia Wildlife Sanctuary in Easthampton, and at some of Plymouth’s ponds. Nationwide, bald eagles are now considered “threatened” which is considered one level safer than “endangered.”

Until recently, one would never expect to see a bald eagle within the watershed of the North and South Rivers. But today it’s quite common. The early morning hours, when eagles tend to do the bulk of their hunting, seem to be an optimal time for eagle viewing. Odds increase in the winter months. You may spy an eagle in flight, which is a sight to behold! If you happen to spot a nest, please keep a respectful distance.

A bald eagle on the hunt, on the North River near Damon's Point in Marshfield. Photo by Keri Buccafusca.

Bald eagles have been spotted at the sites listed below. Good luck!

• Damons Point, Marshfield. https://www.nsrwa.org/listing/damons-point/

• Route 3A Bridge, Marshfield and Scituate. https://www.nsrwa.org/listing/route-3a-bridge/

• Mass Audubon’s North River Sanctuary, Marshfield https://www.nsrwa.org/listing/north-river-wildlife-sanctuary/

• Couch Beach, https://www.nsrwa.org/listing/couch-beach/

• Driftway Conservation Park, Scituate https://www.nsrwa.org/listing/driftway-conservation-park/

• Also, our North River Pontoon Boat Tours offer the opportunity to see some amazing wildlife, such as bald eagles and osprey. Sign up at this link: https://www.nsrwa.org/events/?customize_changeset_uuid=

Sources:

•https://www.massaudubon.org/learn/nature-wildlife/birds/bald-eagles/eagles-in-massachusetts

•https://www.wbur.org/news/2018/02/16/bald-eagle-population-soaring

•https://959watd.com/blog/2017/04/ma-bald-eagles-thrive-on-south-shore/

• https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Bald_Eagle/overview

Top 10 Places to Launch on the North & South Rivers

Kayaking on the South River near Rexhame Beach.

Paddling season is here! If you enjoy canoeing, kayaking or stand-up paddleboarding (SUP), summer is the perfect time to get out on the water. The weather is warm, the breezes are light, and getting your feet wet -- or even your entire body -- might actually be welcomed. 

The North and South Rivers offer several appealing options for traveling by boat or board. Once you know where to park, where to launch, and how to plan your route, you’ll be ready for a few enjoyable hours on the water. 

BOAT TRANSPORT

But first . . . you have to get there. Or more to the point, you have to get your boat there. And that’s not always easy. Have you ever driven down the road with one anxious arm out the window, attempting to hold a wobbly canoe in place atop your vehicle? You’re not alone.

I recommend two items that will make the process infinitely easier: cam buckle tie down straps made of nylon webbing, and a roof rack with crossbars. Employing the right tools for the job makes a world of difference. Run the straps across the top of the boat, not underneath it -- one toward the front, and one toward the rear. Go over and back with each strap, using the crossbars to hold the straps in place. This works so much better than foam pads, bungee cords, and those random moldy ropes you found in your garage. 

Once you learn the best way to secure your own particular vessel to your own particular vehicle, and once you’ve successfully done it a few times, much of the stress of boat transport will fall away. 

NORTH RIVER ACCESS

There are seven public access launch sites on the North River and its tributaries. The most user-friendly for canoes, kayaks, and SUPs are the Marshfield Launch on Union Street, the Pembroke Town Forest on Brick Kiln Lane, and the Hanover Public Launch on Indian Head Drive. They all feature free parking and direct access to the rivers. More experienced paddlers might also check out the Driftway Conservation Park in Scituate, and Damon’s Point in Marshfield, being very careful in the areas around The Spit and the river mouth, where the waters are more challenging to navigate. Lucky Norwell residents have access to two additional sites. Your green recycling sticker grants you parking spots at the Norwell Town Landing on Bridge Street, and the fishing pier/boat launch at the end of Chittenden Lane. 

SOUTH RIVER ACCESS

There are three public access launch sites on the South River, all in Marshfield: the Town Landingon Ridge Road, the dunes at Rexhame Beach, and the Francis Keville Footbridgeon Ocean Street, behind CVS. As above, these sites offer parking (in season at Rexhame, there is a fee if you don’t have a town beach sticker), and reasonably direct access to the river. Keville requires a 0.15-mile carry, and Rexhame is a little farther than that. 

WEATHER, WIND AND TIDES

If your schedule is anything like mine, finding a few hours to get out on the water can be a major accomplishment. But that’s just the start of the planning process. You also have to consider the weather, the wind, and the tides.

No matter how beautiful a day it happens to be at the moment, check the forecast before you even think about unrolling those nifty cam buckle straps. Thunderstorms and paddling don’t mix, and storms can seemingly come out of nowhere on a hot summer day. Luckily the weather professionals generally know well in advance if that’s going to happen. 

Clear skies are good. Light wind (or no wind) is also important! Even if the tide is in your favor, if you try to paddle against a strong wind, you will have quite the workout (and you will get tired). You can still paddle on a windy day, but make sure the wind is blowing in the right direction. Also remember that our rivers have LOTS of twists and turns, so the “right” direction may quickly become wrong when you round the next bend.

Tides are a huge factor as well. Our local launch sites can be accessed at any tide, but in most cases, you’re going to want to travel at mid-to-high tide, not low. It’s not just about how much water there is -- it’s also about how swiftly the water is moving (especially if it’s moving in the “wrong” direction!) Low tide paddling will generally involve at least a little bit of wading, portaging, or scooching (when you sit in your boat and try to “scooch” it over a sandbar.) It can also present some fierce currents.

For an out-and-back paddling trip, where you start and end at the same location, launch an hour before high tide, head upstream, and begin your return trip around when that hour is up. If you prefer a longer trip, go earlier, still turning back at high tide.

For a one-way trip, where you stage a vehicle at either end, depart 2-3 hours before high tide and ride the incoming current to your endpoint. You can just as easily do this in the opposite direction, when the tide is going out.

For either case, it’s important to understand the tidal offset on the rivers. Start by looking up the time of the Boston high tide, then for the North River add 1 hour for the launches at Union/Bridge Street and Chittenden, 2.5 hours for the Pembroke Town Forest. Add up to 3 hours for the Francis Keville Footbridge on the South River and the Hanover Public Launch on the North River. Damon’s Point and Rexhame Beach both involve a 40-minute delay. There is no tidal offset for the Marshfield Town Landing on Ridge Road or the Driftway. 

SAFETY

One final note. A PFD (personal flotation device), aka life jacket, is required for every individual when boating. A whistle clipped onto the zipper of your PFD increases your odds of getting help when you need it. Please be safe out there . . . and have fun!

For detailed information about all of the launch sites mentioned above, as well as a more in-depth review of “Timing the Tides,” visit nsrwa.org or exploresouthshore.org. See you on the rivers!

by Kezia Bacon

July 2019

Kezia Bacon's articles appear courtesy of the North and South Rivers Watershed Association, a local non-profit organization devoted to protecting our waters. For membership information and a copy of their latest newsletter, contact NSRWA at (781) 659-8168 or visit www.nsrwa.org. You will also find 20+ years of Kezia’s Nature columns there.