Eagle Scans Temporary Wetland

After some heavy January rain, the usually damp Riparian Wetland Conservation Area at Duke Farms was flooded [1], turning it into an impromptu swamp (at least for a day or 2), and this Bald Eagle was surveying the area. I suppose it's possible that after a flood recedes there could be dead animals like drowned rodents or stranded fish, so perhaps this is a promising place for foraging. Or maybe the eagle was just resting or curious; though acquiring food is a big part of the life of an eagle, they do have other aspects of their lives too.

I don't know about the rest of you, but I've definitely gotten more Bald Eagle pictures over the last couple years. I suspect that this is partly because I know some of the areas they like to frequent, but Bald Eagle populations in NJ are also on the rise. As their population goes up we can probably expect to see them more.

January 26, 2023 at Duke Farms
Photo 263365001, (c) jpviolette, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)

[1] This area is intended to flood after rain so that other areas won't flood.

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