Around the Island

Island eagles ready for maiden flights for the Fourth

JIM COLLIGAN PHOTO
JIM COLLIGAN PHOTO | A fledgling bald eagle seen in May at Mashomack. He and a sibling will soon be taking flight.

What could be a more patriotic nod to mark the Fourth of July than the sight of a baby bald eagle embarking on its first flight?

That would be two baby bald eagles seen flying high in the sky.

A pair of fledglings nesting at  Mashomack are expected to take flight for the first time this weekend, “soaring to celebrate this Independence Day,” said Mashomack Manager Mike Scheibel.

Their parents were discovered nesting at the preserve in March, the first time a nesting site had been found on the Island.

It is the third known bald eagle nesting site on Long Island in recent years, according to a press release from the nonprofit.

“We couldn’t be happier that our national bird is gracing us with its presence and we hope this majestic species has a successful season rearing its young here,” Mr. Scheibel said soon after the nest was discovered.

Once mastering the gift of flight, will the birds fly south in the winter and return here? That’s possible, Mr. Scheibel said.

In Alaska, the birds tend to travel a bit south, while those in Florida tend to stay where they are, so it remains to be seen what the birds here will do, he said.