The Serendipity of Birding
Story and photographs by Robert Koch
One of the joys of birding is the chance of seeing a rare bird for your area or the chance of getting good looks and a possible photo of a pretty or majestic one. With the current strictures in place – due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the need for social distancing – a solitary walk along the woodland trails at Lumberton Leas is the perfect antidote for the “cabin fever” of isolating in place.
The Bald Eagle is a bird that has made a huge comeback and can be seen fairly regularly (if you are on the lookout for it) soaring over our campus or perched in a tree or snag that borders the Rancocas Creek and its marshes. I and other birders at Lumberton have seen up to three eagles in close proximity on rare occasions.
Recently (mid-March) while I was walking on the Kay Dee Trail and checking out the bordering marsh, a mature Bald Eagle landed in a tree on the opposite side of the marsh. It stayed in the tree for some time and I could see that it was finishing off a meal. It then flew off to a nearby snag and perched on it for quite some time until it flew further down the marsh heading to the Rancocas Creek. To my surprise it landed on a huge log in the marsh and sat there for another long span of time before taking flight again.
I was fortunate enough to be in the right place at the right time and was able to track and photograph the eagle as it went about its routine. The following photos track the eagle from its initial landing spot to its final lift off as it left our immediate area. I think you can see from the photos that the symbol of our country, the Bald Eagle, is a truly magnificent and regal looking bird.
