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Bald Eagle Sighted Over the Hoosic River in North Adams

A number of nesting pairs of the raptors have been sighted or confirmed in South and Central County. It's not clear if this bird in North Adams has a mate. 

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Photographer Rick Duteau, who helps cover sports at iBerkshires, caught images of a bald eagle on Thursday taking a break above one of the American flags that have been hung over the Hoosic River. 

The eagle has been seen recently in this area, just above the Eclipse Dam off Beaver Street. It apparently drew a crowd on its most recent siting.

Bald eagles were re-introduced into Massachusetts in the early 1980s. According to Massachusetts Audubon, the last presumed nesting of these birds of prey had been around the turn of the 20th century. The species was endangered by the use of DDT, which softened or eliminated the baby birds' shells. Since the banning of DDT in 1972, the nation's symbol has moved from the "endangered" list to "threatened" status.

Haliaeetus leucocephalus is a scavenger that prefers carrion but will seek small prey, especially fish. It is the largest raptor in the state with a wingspan up to 7 feet. Bald eagles have also been sighted in recent years along Cheshire Reservoir. Audubon's most recent bird listing (no date given) shows confirmed and possible sightings mostly in Central and South County and one block that appears to be Cheshire Reservoir. 

About 30 bald eagles were counted in Vermont in 2017, but that was in the northern and northwestern part of the state along Lake Champlain and as far south as Lake Bomoseen. 

On the other hand, MassWildlife in 2018 counted 76 pairs of bald eagles in the state, a more than 20 percent increase over 2016. The state agency is looking for information on nests or nesting birds, including "adults carrying sticks or nest lining material are of special interest." Observations can be sent to State Ornithologist Andrew Vitz at andrew.vitz@mass.gov. MassWildLife has more information on the birds here.

Cost, Access to NBCTC High Among Concerns North Berkshire Residents

By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff
06:15PM / Thursday, April 25, 2024

Adams Select Chair Christine Hoyt, NBCTC Executive Director David Fabiano and William Solomon, the attorney representing the four communities, talk after the session. 

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Public access channels should be supported and made more available to the public — and not be subject to a charge.

 

More than three dozen community members in-person and online attended the public hearing  Wednesday on public access and service from Spectrum/Charter Communications. The session at City Hall was held for residents in Adams, Cheshire, Clarksburg and North Adams to express their concerns to Spectrum ahead of another 10-year contract that starts in October.

 

Listening via Zoom but not speaking was Jennifer Young, director state government affairs at Charter.

 

One speaker after another conveyed how critical local access television is to the community and emphasized the need for affordable and reliable services, particularly for vulnerable populations like the elderly. 

 

"I don't know if everybody else feels the same way but they have a monopoly," said Clarksburg resident David Emery. "They control everything we do because there's nobody else to go to. You're stuck with with them."

 

Public access television, like the 30-year-old Northern Berkshire Community Television, is funded by cable television companies through franchise fees, member fees, grants and contributions.

 

Spectrum is the only cable provider in the region and while residents can shift to satellite providers or streaming, Northern Berkshire Community Television is not available on those alternatives and they may not be easy for some to navigate. For instance, the Spectrum app is available on smart televisions but it doesn't include PEG, the public, educational and governmental channels provided by NBCTC.