Photo by Eugene Stancato

Young Eagles Soaring  near Blue Hills
By Lawrence Meyer
Photo by Eugene Stancato

Baby eagles born near the Blue Hills?  You may see them if you look carefully.  Friends’ member, Larry Meyer, has his eye on them.

Since about October 2015 two mature eagles, presumably mates, have been observed in perches in trees along the Neponset River, bordering Hutchinson Field from the canoe launch at Milton Landing hundreds of times by many people. Confirmation that they are successfully nearby has been sparse, however. Then on Saturday August 10th while visiting at dawn I caught sight of a young eagle perched near a mature far downriver in front of the houses near there. On Sunday I stopped by again. Also there was another eagle watcher whom I had met there before, Eugene Stancato of Dorchester. As I was aware it might be there from Saturday’s visit, I found the young eagle through my binoculars perched on the railing of a broken down dock railing on the shore, in front of the white mansion. Eugene had a kayak and good telephoto lens camera. I told him where to find the young eagle and he eagerly shoved out into the river. He was able to take close-ups from 15 feet away, confirming the young eagle was a juvenile (or six-month bird) that only could have been hatched recently in a nest nearby. 

Monday (the 12th) and Tuesday (the 13th) were equally good for eagle watching at Milton Landing. In addition to the two usual matures, a second juvenile was present with the first. Then on two visits on Tuesday I twice saw a 2-3 year old immature. On both occasions, one of the resident mature eagles chased the immature over to the canoe launch, where they circled over my head. That made for five eagles hanging out at Milton Landing.  On this second Tuesday visit there was also a juvenile browsing along the shore underneath large fallen tree limbs.        

Larry has been seeing eagles for years…  check out these posts on eagles in Milton, and the eagles last year, and more eagles, and back when he saw eagles, but no nests.