Susan Kirby

You might be interested in this report about eagles in New York City, which aired on CBS Mornings on March 15, 2022. I am pleased that they used some of my videos of bald eagles in the segment. Any awareness of these beautiful birds and encouragement to protect them are greatly appreciated!

Chasing Eagles in Croton Point Park

In 2023, the Staten Island pair was seen around the nest and protecting their territory. These photos were taken January 21, February 2, and February 18, 2023. On March 6, the male was seen chasing a juvenile bald eagle out of the Mount Loretto North Woods, and one adult bald eagle chased another over Raritan Bay before returning to the nest area.

On January 10, 2023, one of the eagles was perched in a tree overlooking Cunningham Pond. I think it was the female, and she stayed there for quite some time, allowing me to hike a bit closer to get more shots. After a while, her mate flew in and perched behind a lot of branches above her. I found one of the eagles later on perched on the utility tower behind the church, and got some more photos. Then close to sunset, one of the birds perched for a short time in the tree overlooking the nest. The photos below are the rewards of the day.

I have also seen eagles in Central Park and Riverside Park in Manhattan, and at Croton Point Park in Westchester County and Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge in Queens. And in 2021, I was able to photograph a banded eagle (R07, also called Rover and Seven) at Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn. In 2022, Rover appeared in Central Park at the Reservoir, where I have also photographed him.

I have done two “Bald E., It’s Cold Outside!!” videos, the one just below, and if you scroll down, another one. This video has footage from Rover in Green-Wood Cemetery, eagles at Croton Point, and the Staten Island eagles, filmed in 2021.

The Staten Island Eagle Family

Two More Eagles Have Landed on Staten Island

The two nesting bald eagles on Staten Island had a very successful nest in 2021. There were two babies, and they were so curious and adventuresome. They fledged in July, and I chased them near the nest and on the beach until they disappeared. But I am still photographing the parents every chance I get.

The Staten Island eagles have offered great photo ops in 2021. As you can see if you scroll down a little more, they love the cross at Mount Loretto. This slideshow shows the adults and babies since the eagles started brooding.

Eagle Eyes at Croton Point Park

After All, It Was Sunday

When I visited Mount Loretto Unique Area on January 10, 2021, the first bald eagle I spotted was on the cross of the church. Later, I spotted both trees in the woods. When I visited again on March 12, the cross was again a favorite perching spot.

The Incredible Lightness of Eagle Watching

The bald eagles in this slide show were seen February 21, 2020 in New York (nesting birds, so no exact location).

Two Hours With the Staten Island Eagles

On February 4, 2020, I watched the eagle pair at Mount Loretto Unique Area as the male brought in branches, which the female insisted be placed just so in a V in the tree. Their nesting tree is very close to this tree, which isn’t a good candidate for a nest, but the female on this day seemed very hormonal as she insisted on more branches and went to get them herself when he decided to just sit and watch from an upper branch. I was able to watch them from 11:50 a.m. until 1:50 p.m., a truly amazing experience.

The video is set to music for bassoon by Jadin and Vivaldi.

These photos were all taken on February 4 near Mount Loretto Unique Area.

An Eagle in Riverside Park

In January 2020, a bald eagle was seen in Riverside Park, which runs by the Hudson River, near Grant’s Tomb and in trees south in the park. I was able to see the eagle on January 24, 2020, but attempts in February to see the bird were thwarted. After looking at photos and some raw video footage, a wildlife rehabilitator said that the bird has an injured left eye.

In the video, the eagle perches in a tree over the highway while a red-tailed hawk sits in another tree below on a squirrel the hawk would very much like to eat but can’t because the eagle might take it. After the eagle flies off, the hawk is able to finish her lunch. Raptors don't really need music to enhance videos of their behavior, but I decided to use František Jiránek's Bassoon Concerto in F major, KapM (performed by Robert Rønnes) for footage accompanying the eagle and Medieval Dance Tunes (performed by Paul Arden-Taylor) for footage accompanying the hawk.

Bald E., It’s Cold Outside!

I love to use birds in my Christmas videos, and this year I really wanted to show the eagle(s) of Staten Island. I filmed an eagle taking a bath on November 26, 2019, and then either the same eagle or the mate on December 8, perching near the shore and then over Cunningham Pond, followed by a trip to an abandoned osprey nest to look for branches and leftover fish.

The eagle video became a Christmas video because I could make a pun on “Baby, It’s Cold Outside.”

When Your Kids Are as Big as You Are

Sunday evening, July 13, 2019, I visited Cunningham Pond at Mount Loretto Unique Area and got to see both young eagles and their parents. Both youngsters put on a show, including one of the kids going after a great blue heron (at 1:20) and winning. (The great blue heron was not at all amused.) I had been to the pond earlier and had seen one young eagle on a snag over the water, but it was so hot the kid was just trying to keep cool. But at 7:30, it got very active and we were rewarded with the youngsters and both parents.

This video is very short, showing the brief confrontation with the heron.

I saw both youngsters on July 7, but was able to photograph only one (the other one was screaming and flying).

Parental supervision, July 7, 2019, Staten Island

On May 22, 2019, I was fortunate to see both of the bald eagles at Mt. Loretto. When I first arrived, around 2:30, I saw Himself on the utility tower. Later, I saw him in “his” tree on the beach, and Herself flew in (I think to give her dinner order). He flew out, and she stayed for about 10 minutes. Will I ever tire of seeing the bald eagles? Nope. Never.

The eagle in the following slideshow was seen on the utility tower at Mt. Loretto Unique Area, Staten Island, on April 2, 2019.

I filmed the eagles over six days in 2017: Aug. 11, 20, 24, 25, 27 and Sept. 1, almost all shots taken at or near Mount Loretto Unique Area. The music includes Enchanted Valley by Kevin MacLeod (obtained from YouTube Audio Library) and Bassoon Concerto in C major and Bassoon Concerto in F major by Antonín Reichenauer, and Bassoon Concerto in F major by František Jiránek, performed by Robert Rønnes (obtained from MusOpen.org, a royalty-free music source).

The Staten Island eaglets, August 2017.

The adult bald eagles on Staten Island, August 2017 and Sept. 1, 2017.