(by Chris Martin)

On June 15, responding to a public report, NH Fish & Game conservation officer Austin Valladares picked up a young Bald Eagle on The Falls in the River Trail about a mile downriver from 2nd Connecticut Lake in Pittsburg, NH. Nearly fully feathered, this juvenile was still too young to fly. There was no record of a nest at this location, but it seemed there must be one nearby since this non-flighted chick was present. C.O. Valladares contacted wildlife rehabilitator Maria Colby at Wings of the Dawn and arrangements were made to do a hand-off at the halfway point in Franconia Notch, so that the eaglet could get veterinary care and then recover at Maria’s facility in Henniker. Next, less than 2 weeks later, we unexpectedly got a report of a second young eagle perched by 2nd Lake’s outflow dam. That cinched it – we knew there had to be a nest close-by!

After 6 weeks of care, this young female eagle was flying and ready to go back to the wild. On July 31, with assistance from NH Audubon’s communications director Dyanna Smith (who has previously worked in raptor rehab), Maria and Chris banded ‘Red 24/D’. The following morning, Maria drove the bird north to be released at the 2nd Lake dam, where Pittsburg residents and wildlife photographers Peter Gray and Diane Seavey joined us. When the door of her crate opened, she hopped out without hesitation and flew low and strong over the water. About 30 seconds later, we watched an adult eagle pass overhead, as if welcoming the youngster back! After packing up, several of us then hiked to the spot on the trail where C.O. Valladares had initially rescued the bird. Once there we noticed one huge white pine tree growing in the spruce-fir woods. Glancing up through the foliage, we could see remnants of a massive stick nest in the pine, so we can add another found nest to New Hampshire’s Bald Eagle nest inventory!