Hope for the future
Like they have across the country, the bald eagles
of the Chesapeake Bay watershed have made a dramatic comeback
in the past few decades.
With their comeback nearly complete, bald eagles are no longer such a rare sight.
There are several National Wildlife Refuges close to the Washington, D.C., area where you can get outside, explore natural habitat, and see bald eagles soar!
In
addition to Alaska, Florida, and the Great Lakes, the Chesapeake
Bay watershed is a stronghold of the bald eagle. Thanks to
restoration efforts, there are now more than 500 pairs of
bald eagles nesting in this region—and many places to
observe them.
Eagles in our backyard
The Chesapeake Bay, with its abundance of food and habitat for eagles, is once again an ideal spot for watching bald eagles soar. Look for them in wetlands surrounded by mature forests, where eagles are known to nest.
The .S. Fish and Wildlife Service manages the National
Wildlife Refuge System, the only network of public lands
dedicated specifically to wildlife conservation. Wildlife
Refuges provide habitat for more than 250 threatened or endangered
plants and animals — including
bald eagles!
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| This 2,276-acre
refuge was specifically created to protect bald eagle
nesting, feeding, and roosting habitats.  Mason
Neck National Wildlife RefugeLorton, Va. |
Blackwater
National Wildlife Refuge, on Maryland’s Eastern
Shore, protects over 24,990 acres of tidal marsh and
mature pine forest— ideal habitat for bald eagles. Blackwater
National Wildlife Refuge Cambridge,
Md. |
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This major resting area for tundra swans
and other wintering wildfowl offers four hiking trails
and nearly six miles of roads. It’s also protected
area for the endangered Delmarva fox squirrel. |
Here, nesting
bald eagles share habitat with
white-tailed deer and a host of other wildlife. Be sure to see the Visitor Center to learn about wildlife and the National Wildlife Refuge System. Patuxent
Research Refuge, Laurel, Md. |
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Maryland:
Conowingo Dam, on the Susquehanna River, North of Port Deposit,
Md.
(Harford
Bird Club Guide)
Susquehanna
State Park
Jarrettsville, Md.
Virginia:
Back
Bay National Wildlife Refuge
Virginia Beach, Va.
Rappahannock
River Valley National Wildlife Refuge, Fredericksburg, Va.
Nationally:
Thirteen
Great Places to See Bald Eagles (NWRS
Guide)
