Eagle Check

It is a fine day with a temperature rising to somewhere in the mid 40's, and almost no wind. Tomorrow and the day following will be quite the opposite with a wet snow mix and wind gusts near 30mph.

I put in at Pilgrim Landing, the usual start for a trip into Lord Cove. My friend, D (we've spent enough time talking that "friend" seems appropriate) lives right next to the put in. He's messing with his garage door, so I go over and give him a hand. He is also the publisher of a fine full color magazine, "Estuary", which covers a range of topics that have to do with the lower Connecticut River. We get the garage door to a good enough status, and I head out.
For your reference, https://www.estuarymagazine.com/

It won't be long now until the Bald Eagles lay eggs. I try to get out and check on the nests that I know of at this time of year. All the way up in Lord Cove is a very productive nest that has fledged 3 Eaglets every year since I first found it. Fledging 1 is normal, 2 is great, 3 is awesome and it is a sign that the mated couple are exceptional hunters.

Buffleheads

The tide is still rising and it is an easy cruise with the current behind me. I find a few small groups of Buffleheads as I head up into the cove.  As I get up past Goose Bay where the channel narrows some, I start trading out the Buffleheads for Common Mergansers. Rounding the outside of Coults Hole I surprise a muskrat, which swims off into the Hole.

Muskrat

 

If one comes here often enough, they might notice that there are several bedrock finger ridges that come off the hillside and protrude into the marsh. I don't know what geologic reason is behind the formations, but they break the east side of the marsh up into a series of small bays and miniature fjords. The big nest is in the last fjord. And, perched together in a tree on the inside of the turn into that last arm are two fairly large mature Bald Eagles. The nest is about 200 yards away, so this might be the nest pair. They let me pass under and I go look at the nest, which is in good order, although still not in use. On the way out, the two Eagles fly off, as a pair, in the direction of North Cove. They leave no doubt that they are paired.

Mission accomplished, I explore the other arms and bays, as I usually do when I'm in here. I flush some Canada Geese, maybe 2 dozen Black Ducks, and a pair of Teal. It's been easy and fast paddling with the tidal current and wind usually in my favor, so I take the long round about in Goose Bay. The western shore of the bay is a long spit that separates the cove from the main river. When I get there, I flush a large mature Bald Eagle. It has either a duck or muskrat in its talons. It does a short hop over to the far side of the spit. Then, I spot a second Eagle coming across the bay from the far side. It is a demonstration of the eyesight of Eagles, because that second Eagle was over half a mile away. It joins the first Eagle without any squabbling, so its safe to assume that they are a mated pair.

When I'm taking out, D comes over and hands me the new issue of Estuary and I fill him in on the Eagle sightings.