Want to be an Eagle Watch volunteer along the Upper Delaware? Attend this training.

Peter Becker, Tri-County Independent
Updated ·4 min read

A popular winter attraction in the Upper Delaware region is watching bald eagles, which perch in the trees and soar over the river seeking fish. Helping to guide the public in looking for them and in "eagle etiquette" are volunteers, courtesy of the Delaware Highlands Conservancy.

Volunteer training has been scheduled for the winter 2024 Eagle Watch on Saturday, Dec. 9, from 10 a.m. to noon at the Settlers Inn in Hawley.

"It does seem to me like the public is as interested as ever with bald eagle watching and our guided excursions," said Bethany Zarnowski, communications and development director at the Conservancy. "We’ve added additional bus tours to our winter schedule and the tours always sell out."

Following the in-person training session, volunteers are provided manuals and other materials. Afterward, volunteers are invited to go on self-guided tours to the Van Scott Nature Reserve near Beach Lake and the Eagle Observation Areas.

A bald eagle flies between the snowflakes over the Upper Delaware River.
A bald eagle flies between the snowflakes over the Upper Delaware River.

The Conservancy’s winter Eagle Watch program runs on weekends through January and February. Volunteers cover morning or afternoon shifts at the Eagle Observation Areas throughout the Upper Delaware River region.

The main monitoring areas are the Zane Grey boat launch at Lackawaxen on the Pennsylvania side of the Delaware River and the Mongaup Reservoir and the Delaware River at Minisink Falls on the New York side. On site, volunteers collect data on wintering eagles and resident pairs. They educate the public in “Eagle Etiquette” and on how to have the best eagle-watching experience.

Volunteers are also needed to help staff booths, do workshops, and participate in other eagle-related events. The DHC Winter Field Office will be based at the Zane Grey Museum in Lackawaxen.

“I can honestly say that every year I see and learn something new about eagles,” said Paul Gomer, a DHC Eagle Watch volunteer from Milford. “My greatest joy is helping a child, or an adult, see a bald eagle for the first time. As I tell the guests on the bus my wife says the only way to get me to do anything in the house between January and March is to put on an eagle outfit. For me enduring the cold weather during volunteer season has been well worth it.”

Bald eagle watching is as popular as ever in the Upper Delaware River region. Here is an eagle watch at the boat launch area in Lackawaxen, Pa., overlooking the Delaware River one snowy day. Delaware Highlands Conservancy volunteers help guide the public in looking for eagles and showing how not to disturb them.
Bald eagle watching is as popular as ever in the Upper Delaware River region. Here is an eagle watch at the boat launch area in Lackawaxen, Pa., overlooking the Delaware River one snowy day. Delaware Highlands Conservancy volunteers help guide the public in looking for eagles and showing how not to disturb them.

Gomer has been doing this for 20 years, first when it was run by the Eagle Institute, and then the Conservancy. He said before retiring in 2001, they would travel from New York City to the Upper Delaware to look for eagles. His wife suggested that he ought to be an Eagle Watch volunteer.

For the past six years he has been one of the guides on the Saturday bus tours and still spends Sundays at Mongaup volunteering. His grandson also volunteers with him. Gomer said he enjoys volunteering because of the friends he makes with fellow volunteers and visitors, as well as sharing his skills as a wildlife photographer.

"This will be my 25th year of traveling from Easton, PA to the Mongaup Reservoir in search of Eagles and sharing my knowledge with others," Brad Orey said. "On a good Sunday afternoon, myself and the other volunteers may see anywhere from 10 to 50 Eagles. There are times when we can see as many as 12-15 at one time. Some days most of the sightings are in the air while other days the Eagles might prefer to perch along the reservoir or river. I truly enjoy seeing America's symbol of freedom close up and personal!"

Those interested in attending the training are asked to register online at DelawareHighlands.org/events or call 570-226-3164 ext. 2.

Anyone not able to attend the training on Dec. 9 but still interested in becoming an Eagle Watch volunteer can contact Rachel Morrow at the Conservancy at rachel@delawarehighlands.org.

The Conservancy reports that every winter, up to 150 to 200 bald eagles migrate to this region, joining a population of eagles that are here year-round and breed. The wintering eagles are seeking a reliable food source and undisturbed habitat so they can survive the cold winter months. They may be seen along rivers, lakes and reservoirs. Some fly here from Canada.

Delaware Highlands Conservancy volunteer Joel Murphy at an Eagle Observation Area along the Upper Delaware River.
Delaware Highlands Conservancy volunteer Joel Murphy at an Eagle Observation Area along the Upper Delaware River.

Large stands of trees and protected habitat offer perches from which they can hunt. Because the wintering eagles do not build nests here, they rely on the undisturbed tracts of land for nighttime roosting. Early morning and late afternoon are the best times of day to look for them.

While the public is welcome to watch for eagles on their own, the DHC also offers ticketed guided eagle tours on a heated bus departing from the Zane Grey Museum. The first tour is scheduled for Jan. 6. For more information, visit the DHC website.

Peter Becker has worked at the Tri-County Independent or its predecessor publications since 1994. Reach him at pbecker@tricountyindependent.com or 570-253-3055 ext. 1588.

This article originally appeared on Tri-County Independent: Volunteers power the Eagle Watch program on the Upper Delaware