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Bald Eagles Can Be Seen In Dozens At Onondaga Lake Thanks To Cleanup Efforts From Local Advocates Bald Eagles Can Be Seen In Dozens At Onondaga Lake

By Brendan Scanland

Nature Preservation at Onondaga Lake
© 2020 Brendan Scanland

“Up to one-hundred bald eagles can be seen during the winter months, and thousands of waterfowl, primarily ducks over winter. And that is a conservation success story that we can all be proud of.”

ONONDAGA LAKE BECAME AN IMPORTANT BIRD AREA, ALSO KNOWN AS I-B-A, IN 1998 PRIMARILY FOR ITS VALUE TO WATERFOWL AND BALD EAGLES DURING THE WINTER MONTHS AS WELL AS MANY OTHER WILDLIFE SPECIES.

CHRIS LAJEWSKI IS THE DIRECTOR OF THE ONONDAGA LAKE CONSERVATION CORPORATION AND SAYS THE LAKE WAS ESSENTIALLY DEAD FOR MOST OF THE 1900S.

IF NOT FOR THE MAJOR CONTRIBUTIONS OF A LOCAL STAKEHOLDER, THE LAKE CLEANUP MAY NOT HAVE BEEN WHAT IT IS TODAY.

“Our colleagues at Honeywell cleaned up the lake, they dredged heavy metals PCBs other chemicals from the bottom of the lake, THEY cleaned up also the shoreline and the surrounding wetland habitat.”

A CLEAN ECOSYSTEM AND HEALTHY FISH UNDER SECTIONS OF THE LAKE, WHICH DO NOT FREEZE IN THE WINTER, HAVE MADE THIS AN IDEAL HABITAT FOR HUNDREDS OF BIRD SPECIES, LITERALLY RIGHT IN OUR BACKYARD.

ONONDAGA LAKE IS EXTREMELY CLOSE. IN FACT, IT’S JUST A TEN-MINUTE DRIVE FROM DOWNTOWN SYRACUSE OR FROM SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY.

AND IF YOU’RE INTERESTED IN MAKING THE SHORT TRIP, FINDING BALD EAGLES JUST GOT A LOT EASIER.

ALISON KOCEK IS THE ACTIVE PRESIDENT OF THE ONONDAGA AUDUBON SOCIETY, WHERE SHE AND HER COLLEAGUES WORK TO INTRODUCE PEOPLE TO BIRDWATCHING BY OFFERING TOURS AND FIELD TRIPS.

“Once you’ve gone on a field trip you know where to look. That really helps you to go yourself and find birds on your own ready.”

BRENDAN SCANLAND, N-C-C NEWS

SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) Various wildlife species are making a comeback at Onondaga Lake thanks to vast cleanup efforts in recent years.

One bird species that is of particular interest at the lake is the bald eagle.

Forty-five years ago, there was one known pair of nesting bald eagles in New York State.

The species was endangered until 2007 due to wildlife destruction and the ingestion of chemicals like DDT from within the ecosystem of eagles.

Now there are thousands of bald eagles across New York, and dozens of them can be seen right here in Syracuse.

Just like bald eagles, Onondaga Lake has also made an extreme comeback.

Chris Lajewski is the Director of the Onondaga Lake Conservation Corps.

His group, along with many others, played a pivotal role in the restoration of the lake.

“The lake was essentially dead for most of the 1900s,” says Lajewski. “

The cleanup efforts by the local Honeywell Corporation perhaps played the largest role.

“Our colleagues at Honeywell cleaned up the lake, they dredged heavy metals PCBs other chemicals from the bottom of the lake, they cleaned up also the shoreline and the surrounding wetland habitat,” Lajewski added.

The clean ecosystem has allowed for healthy fish to flourish, as well as waterfowl and eagles as a result thereof.

Dozens of eagles have been spotted at once in the winter months, like December through March when most bodies of water are frozen.

However, the south portion of Onondaga Lake does not freeze due to a few contributing factors such as running water from Onondaga Creek and the dispersal of treated water into the lake from the Syracuse wastewater center.

This location provides hundreds of birds with the opportunity to find food during months when other bodies of water are frozen.

Onondaga Audubon has been advocating for the habitat restoration of the lake for years and now offers guided tours for the community to catch a glimpse at eagles and other rare birds, according to Alison Kocek, President of Onondaga Audubon.

“Once you’ve gone on a field trip you know where to look. That really helps you to go yourself and find birds on your own ready,” says Kockek.

With the lake’s proximity to downtown Syracuse, it’s never been easier to spot some incredible wildlife, including our nation’s bird.

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