Danielle Norris-Gardner of Salem, Mass., and Will Stollsteimer of Keene, N.H., arrange on a bridge on 5 Islands Street in Arrowsic, whereas ready to get a take a look at a Steller’s sea eagle. Derek Davis/Workers Photographer
GEORGETOWN — Birders from throughout New England flocked to a bridge on Sunday for the return of a uncommon Steller’s sea eagle that comes from continents away.
Armed with highly effective scopes and binoculars, about 70 individuals lined the Again River Bridge separating Arrowsic and Georgetown.
The uncommon Steller’s sea eagle, pictured final winter in Georgetown, returned to the realm this weekend. Zachary Holderby, Downeast Audubon through AP
Often known as a Pacific sea eagle, the massive chicken native to jap Russia was perched in a pine tree on the shore of the Again River. The eagle roosted in the identical tree for hours, birders reported, and was partially hidden. However when it moved its head, the intense, orange-yellow beak gave it away.
“It’s simply superb!” stated Will Stollsteimer, who drove up from Keene, New Hampshire, at 7:30 a.m. “Each time it strikes you get to see its facial options and what makes all of it distinct.”
Sunday was the primary time Stollsteimer noticed the chicken.
“I got here to try to see it final 12 months, however I wasn’t capable of,” he stated. “These huge birds fascinate me.”
The Steller’s sea eagle was first sighted in Maine final winter, not removed from the place the chicken appeared this weekend. After phrase unfold on social media, a big crowd descended on the 5 Islands space of Georgetown on Dec. 31, 2021. A part of the joys of seeing the chicken is as a result of it’s from so far-off and so uncommon. Consultants estimate there are solely about 4,000 Steller’s sea eagles on this planet.
This 12 months, birders responded to a Saturday put up by Maine Audubon’s Doug Hitchcox that the chicken was again. Sunday morning the highway close to the bridge, Route 127, was lined with autos together with many with out-of-state plates.
“That is my fourth journey to seek out this chicken, twice in Taunton, Massachusetts, and as soon as up right here final 12 months. I missed each time,” stated Eric Mueller of Clinton, Mass, who leads hawk walks in his state. “When it confirmed up final 12 months in Massachusetts, I acquired there the day after most individuals had seen it. I met individuals who had flown in from New Mexico and Colorado to see it. It’s that uncommon.”
Chris Ryer of Cumberland appears to be like by binoculars on a bridge on 5 Islands Street in Arrowsic whereas ready to get a take a look at a Steller’s sea eagle, which had been sighted Saturday on Again River. Derek Davis/Workers Photographer
On Sunday he lastly acquired to see the eagle for himself.
“I’m so pleased!” Mueller stated. “This chicken is charismatic, simply because they’re so enormous. They’ve an infinite beak. A bald eagle’s beak is huge, however this beak is gigantic.”
The Steller’s sea eagle is simple to determine by the hanging white markings on its brown wings and big, eight-foot wingspan. The eagle weighs between 11 and 20 kilos, and may be as much as twice as huge as a bald eagle.
“You see it and there’s nothing prefer it,” Mueller stated.
He and his jubilant pals nicknamed the eagle Stella.
“Like STELLA!” Mueller stated with fun.
Birders line a bridge between Georgetown and Arrowsic to see the Steller’s sea eagle that was sighted over the Again River on Saturday. Derek Davis/Workers Photographer
Close by, manning a strong scope, Danielle Norris-Gardner of Salem, Mass., was desperate to share a take a look at the chicken.
“It’s a black blob. It’s within the heart of the scope,” Norris-Gardner stated to a novice. “It’s on a tree department. Sometimes it should transfer its head and you may see a flash of this orange-yellow – his beak.”
Norris-Gardner stated she realized Saturday on social media that the eagle was noticed in Georgetown. She instantly headed north, reaching the bridge 5 minutes earlier than sundown.
“I noticed it on this tree because it acquired darkish,” she stated.
She returned to the bridge earlier than dawn Sunday for an additional look. Till Saturday she had by no means seen the chicken.
“I attempted final 12 months and I used to be unsuccessful. That is my first time seeing it, final night time,” Norris-Gardner stated.
Will Stollsteimer of Keene, N.H., units up on a bridge on 5 Islands Street in Arrowsic. Derek Davis/Workers Photographer
When requested for her response, Norris-Gardner sighed and smiled. “Wow! Wow!”
Robert Timberlake of Cumberland stated Sunday was the second time he’s seen the eagle.
“It’s price seeing,” he stated. “What number of occasions do you see one thing so uncommon? It’s spectacular.”
A birder, Timberlake stated it’s neat to suppose {that a} chicken can, and does, fly anyplace it needs to go on the planet.
When he noticed the eagle final 12 months, “I noticed a younger bald eagle coming in and harassing it. It seemed like a crow harassing a purple tail hawk, that’s the distinction in dimension of a Steller’s sea eagle in comparison with a bald eagle. It’s a lot larger.”
As Timberlake talked, Norris-Gardner spoke up. The eagle had turned its head and was stirring.
“Right here, have a look! Check out his beak!”
Simply then, at about 11:15 a.m., the eagle flew away from the pine tree, hovering over the river and headed east.
A cheer broke out from the gang.
“Oh, oh, oh!”
Then the gang applauded and shared laughter.
“That’s nice!” somebody yelled out.
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