NJ Bald Eagle numbers soar in 2011

thanks to the dedicated NJ Bald Eagle Project Volunteers

by Larissa Smith, Biologist/Volunteer Manager

2011 was a great year for bald eagles in NJ.  This season a record high of 118 chicks fledged from nests throughout New Jersey.  A total of 111 eagle pairs were monitored of these 95 were active which means that they laid eggs.  Seventy-one of these were successful in producing the 118 fledges.  This is especially good news after 2010’s less than stellar nesting season where only 69 young chicks fledged.

The success of the NJ Bald Eagle Project is directly due to the dedicated volunteers.  Every eagle nest that can be viewed is monitored by a volunteer/s.  Volunteers report on important dates such as incubation, hatching and fledging.  They also help to protect the nest by reporting disturbance and educating the public about eagles.  We can’t thank our eagle project volunteers enough for all the time and energy which they put into this project.

More details on the the 2011 nesting season will be  available later this year in the 2011 NJ Bald Eagle Project report.