BY JESSICA ALFREY
Correspondent
Photo Courtesy of Edison Wetlands Association The American bald eagle has been making a comeback in the Middlesex County area. Here, an eagle perches on a tower above the ILR Landfill in Edison. EDISON – The number of bald eagle sightings in Middlesex County since 2000 has steadily been increasing, according to a recent report released by the Edison Wetlands Association and Highland Park Environmental Commission.
According to the report, “Great American Comeback: The Return of the Bald Eagle to Middlesex County, New Jersey,” since 2000 there have been about 50 reported sightings of a bald eagle. In the first half of 2007 alone, a dozen sightings have been reported.
The report credits the comeback of the national bird to the recovering riverfront of the Raritan River as well as the presence of numerous landfills that offer the birds a refuge from industrialization.
About 25 of the reported sightings have been in Highland Park.
According to the EWA, Middlesex County, with one of the most dense populations of any county in the U.S., shares its home with over 300 species of birds.
According to David Wheeler, director of operations for the EWA, the Highland Park area is a prime location for a bald eagle comeback.
“[Highland Park] is located at the point in the river that still has some salt water with the fresh water,” said Wheeler. “It offers a great abundance of fish for the bald eagle. Probably even more important, most of Highland Park’s river area hasn’t been developed, it’s not lined with buildings and factories. Actually, it’s removed from the immediacy of development.”
The EWA, a nonprofit group formed in 1989, has worked on approximately 60 contaminated sites to try to clean up the Raritan River and other areas in Middlesex County. Wheeler said the group deals with sampling, site investigation, and advocacy to get the sites cleaned.
Wheeler believes the increased sightings of the endangered species is encouraging.
“It clearly speaks volumes to us, a testament to the recovery of the river,” said Wheeler. “And, it really does speak to the importance of people getting out and enjoying nature. [But] it doesn’t mean the hard work is done, it’s just getting started.”
To report a bald eagle sighting in Middlesex County, call the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection at (609) 292-9400 or fill out the online form at the NJDEP Web site, http://www.nj.gov/dep/fgw/ensp/rprtform.htm.