Eagle nest at Pondicherry?

[dentonfabrics]

Hi,

A week ago I paddled Cherry Lake in Jefferson. At the northern end of the lake, I spotted a huge nest near the top of a tree. I would think it was either an eagle's nest or perhaps an osprey, but at the same time there didnt appear to be any activity in or around the nest.

Does anyone know if eagles have nested at Pondicherry? It would be a likley place for nesting eagles but I've never actually seen one there.


bob

 

[vegematic]

I've been planning to get back to Pondicherry for some time...this may motivate me to actually do it!

If you don't mind sharing, where do you put in? We hiked in before and it was much further than we'd want to carry a boat.
-vegematic

 

[dentonfabrics]

If you park at the lot on Airport Rd, it's a 1.5 mile portage to the lake. It's doable with a canoe and a cart because the rail trail makes for easy toting.

The only place I can find where you could put it is at the observation deck. We carried the canoe out to the end of the deck, hoisted it up over the rail, and put in at a tiny clearing at the shore.

Pain in the neck portage. Absoutely worth it. We didnt see another soul all day except for loons and a heron.

 

[Kevin Judy and Emma]

Nest

It would be nice if it were an eagle nest, but that would be well documented. There would also most likely be warning signs around the pond. I can't say for sure, but my guess is it is a heron nest. Far more common and much more likely. The young herons would have fledged by now.
KDT

 

[Waumbek]

The Audubon Society of NH checklist for Pondicherry lists the bald eagle as an occasional migrant visitor in spring, summer and fall. The Great Blue Heron does breed on or near the refuge in this kind of nest.

 

[Grayjay]

I'm pretty sure it is an osprey nest. They live there in the summer and patrol both Big and Little Cherry. I have sat at Little for a few hours and watched them return again and again from Big Cherry.

 

[Fisher Cat]

The 2007 birding report for Pondicherry by Audobon Society results showed sightings of bald eagles but none establishing a nesting area. One distinct characteristic of nesting osprey is not only a big nest but it is almost always located in the fork of a tree near the top. If it was herons, that's certainly good news, as where there's one nest there's undoubtedly more due to their rookery nesting habits.

 

[dentonfabrics]

Good info, thanks guys. The nest looked a lot like Waumbeks attached image, but fits Fisher Cats description too, so I guess we've narrowed it down to a heron or an osprey. We saw a HUGE heron at the northern edge of the pond (my girlfriend said it looked more like a giraffe than a heron) perched near the base of the tree holding the nest. You should have seen it take off as we approached - I've never seen anything so large take to the sky.

 

[Fisher Cat]

I like watching herons come in to land. When they drop their legs on final approach it looks like the most uncoordinated landing you will ever see, but it goes in smooth as ever. The only aspect of an osprey nest that makes it different from others ,like larger raptors or even eagles, is their tendency to nest right in the forks of trees near the top. Others will take the forks of large branches coming off the main trunk or growth crown area.Or so they say. The main point is, its impressive to see.

 

[Kevin Judy and Emma]

Osprey

If Grayjay says they have watched Osprey going to and from that nest, then I guess that answers the question. That is awesome. We get Osprey on our pond here in Kingston. They used to nest here, but the tree fell. I don't know if it was lightning or it happened over the winter. We still see them, but not as much. We see the occasional Bald eagle, too. Mostly when the ice is going out in March. They sit at the edge of the ice and watch for fish. Sometimes they will sit next to an ice fishermans hole!

If you guys like herons, I have some shots posted here:

http://ghostflowers.com/shawsheen/shawherons/shawherons.html

They are, I think, my favorite bird. I love to watch them. We have a heronry near our house and there are over 90 nests!

KDT

 

[Puck]

The NH Audubon Chanpeter keeps a rare bird alert. Any nesting eagles would make the list.
http://www.nhaudubon.org/rarebirdarchives/rarebird.htm

Although eagles have fledged already, they will hangout around the nest. In the future remember to keep your distance from nests.

Also
http://www.virtualbirder.com/bmail/nhbirds/latest.html

is a good place for the latest sightings from around the state. The mountains and northern lakes are frequently listed.