Syracuse, N.Y. – During one of the coldest and snowiest winters Syracuse has seen in recent years, the bald eagles have once again returned to Onondaga Lake.
As the ice and snow freeze local waterways, the eagles look for new places to find food. Onondaga Lake is a favorite place for eagles to gather in the winter months to roost in trees along the shoreline and feed in the lake. Warm water discharged from the nearby wastewater treatment plant keeps the water from freezing over and attracts fish which the birds feed on.
Murphy’s Island, near the end of the Creek Walk behind Destiny USA, is a great place to find large groups of the birds. A viewing area is accessible from the gravel parking area off Harborside Drive under the Hiawatha Boulevard bridge.
Earlier this week, wildlife photographer Dave Smith counted almost 40 eagles gathering near a small break in the ice. As the amount of food and hunting space is limited, the eagles tend to occupy the same area…