Best Places to See Bald Eagles in New England
It’s easiest to spot bald eagles in winter, but keen eyes can find them year-round. Here are some of the best places to see bald eagles in New England.
By Sean McGlynn|Jun 01 2022|
Coffee By Design | Portland, Maine
Photo Credit : Katherine KeenanBald eagles may occasionally be spotted in the summer, but most sightings occur during the winter months, when they’re particularly active on cold, breezy days. Eagles may often be seen perched atop dead trees or circling around carrion, such as the carcass of a waterfowl or deer that got stuck in the ice. Note that most bald eagles don’t attain the iconic white head and tail feathers until their fourth or fifth year. Here, we list some of the best places to see bald eagles in New England.
Learn more about bald eagles in New England: Bald Eagles | Back Among Us
Photo Credit : Dreamstime
Best Place to See Bald Eagles in Connecticut
Lower Connecticut River
In winter dozens of bald eagles congregate along the lower Connecticut River. Connecticut Audubon organizes guided tours three days a week. For reservations and more information, visit ctaudubon.org/ecotravel-day-trips.
Best Places to See Bald Eagles in Maine
Augusta & Bath Landfills
Not the most picturesque setting, but dozens of eagles may be spotted circling over the feeding gulls in the winter as they look for weak or injured birds to bring back to their nests.
Cadillac Mountain
Eagles soar above the magnificent backdrop of Bar Harbor and Frenchman Bay. The summit is easily accessible by auto road, and in the fall you’ll find many fellow birders identifying and tallying eagles and other raptors who call Acadia National Park home.
Bradbury Mountain State Park
In Pownal, the mountain’s 485-foot summit offers sweeping views of Casco Bay. Eagles are frequently spotted during springtime as they soar overhead in search of summer nesting locations farther north.
Best Place to See Bald Eagles in Massachusetts
Quabbin Reservoir
This 39-square-mile body of water offers great vantage points, such as Winsor Dam, Goodnough Dike, and Enfield Lookout, easily accessible by car. After a short walk, Gate 43 in Hardwick will get you closer to the eagles. Maps and more information are available at the Quabbin Visitor Center in Ware.
Best Place to See Bald Eagles in New Hampshire
Umbagog National Wildlife Refuge
Look for one of the four nesting pairs of eagles that call this refuge in Maine and New Hampshire home while paddling around a pristine seven-mile wilderness lake. Even if you don’t spot an eagle, chances are you’ll see moose, ospreys, and loons.
Best Place to See Bald Eagles in Rhode Island
Scituate Reservoir
Home to the state’s first recorded bald eagle nest, the birds may still often be seen from Route 116, about 1.3 miles south of Route 6 in at this reservoir in North Scituate.
Best Place to See Bald Eagles in Vermont
Wilder Dam
Dams along the Connecticut River are great places to spot bald eagles in the Green Mountain State. Wilder Dam, located between Lebanon, New Hampshire, and Hartford, Vermont, offers regular sightings — especially in winter, when the dam keeps the water below from icing over, letting the eagles fish the river.
In your opinion, where are the best places to see bald eagles in New England? Let us know in the comments!
This post was first published in 2015 and has been updated.
SEE MORE:
Moose in New England | Moose Images
The Best Places to Watch Wildlife in New England
Moose in Maine | Where You Can Find Them
I have seen several bald eagles when I have traveled along Route 5 between Fairlee and Ryegate. I watched one plunge from the heights to pluck a smaller bird right out of the sky about fifty feet ahead of me as I drove. Sad for the little bird, but a spectacular display of nature!
There are several breeding pairs of Bald Eagles in the Portsmouth/Great Bay area in NH. In a kayak or canoe, you are able to get quite close (but don’t get too close) to a nest in Little Harbor on the back side of the Wentworth Hotel. I’ve observed the pair and their chicks/fledglings for the past two years up close. Simply amazing birds. Eagles are also returning to the Great Bay area with several confirmed nesting sites.
Thank you for the article and links- my first grade students are studying Bald Eagles. We will be visiting this article to help us write our own non-fiction text about the Bald Eagle. With all the information you provided I. Am hoping some of their parents take the initiative to visit those areas and see a Bald
Eagle. I know I will 🙂
I have been conducting bald eagle field research in Acadia National Park here on Mount Desert Island for a bit more than 3 decades. I founded the Coastal Bald Eagle Project and began offering bald eagle boat tours at Sea Venture Custom Boat Tours in 1995. Since that time hundreds of folks interested in Bald Eagles have signed up for one of my tours and there is nothing I enjoy more than introducing them to Maine’s fast recovering bald eagle population.
I saw one last weekend near the salt marshes in North Beach area of Hampton NH…Stunning
How about Lubec, Eastport and the along the Canadian border? You don’t see an occasional Bald Eagle, you see a lot of them.
Many years ago, I saw them on a trip out to Campobello Island. They were right at the treetops at the end of the island. Fabulous!
Missed a great place in Litchfield Hills to see eagles at the Shepaug Dam in Southbury. http://www.shepaugeagles.info/
Lake Champlain in Shelburne bay
They missed the lower Merrimack River in winter-Amesbury and Newburyport. They are frequently seen along the river. Mass Audubon has an Eagle Festival in Newburyport every winter.
I was very excited to have a bald eagle fly right out in front of my car yesterday as I was driving from Mendon, MA to Uxbridge, MA. He was chasing a little bird.
Years ago I saw one feasting on a pigeion by a bridge where RTs 290 and 190 meet on West Boylston Street in Worcester. Easy pickins for the eagle as the pigeons stay out of the weather and rest under the bridges on the I beam.
I’m located in Central Mass and I saw a Bald Eagle eating something it caught on the ice of a small pond located behind Home Depot in Oxford. I could clearly see it as I drove past it on 290. It seemed unfazed by the traffic nearby.
I just saw a pair of eagles on 3/26/18 in Candia, NH. on the top of a hill in the vicinity of the congressional church on the corner of High St, and Healey Rd. I live across the street and have not seen them before so I can only assume they where just passing by. but they did fly around a field for about 3 minutes before leaving. It was clearly two eagles. they did not have all white heads so I’m so I’m not sure if they where young bold eagles or golden eagles. They where huge and definitely hanging together as a pair. they had some white around there heads and upper chest and a bit of whit to the back. But not solid areas just separate feathers. the white up front was more on there necks not really on there heads. I can’t believe after watching for minutes out a window it never occurred to me to get a camera till after they left. Hope the come back.
I seen a bald eagle on 3/25/18 driving down Clark st by pearly brook flying by ! Awesome
I saw a bald eagle on 4/7/18 at Pulaski State Park in Gloucester, Rhode Island! It circled for a bit around the lake before swooping down to try and catch something. It was my first time seeing one in the wild, they’re magnificent!
I saw a bald eagle on Sebec Lake on 5/25/2018. So beautiful.
I saw a Bald Eagle in Wilton Maine last week. It so giant in size that I was stunned by it’s presence.
I just saw an eagle in my backyard as l walked out on my deck he was at the rivers edge, he then flew up into a nearby tree, I then walked over to where he was on the ground and saw a Canadian goose he had captured and killed and had begun eating before he noticed me. He is now in a tree across the river for the last 30 minutes probably waiting for a chance to come back and finish his meal. Such an impressive bird, wow!!
That sighting was in Coventry Rhode Island
Would have been nice to have given the town name for the New Hampshire site.
Hi there. The refuge is actually located in both New Hampshire and Maine, so there is no one town to name, but we’ve updated the post to link to more information. Thanks!
Umbagog is north of Errol, NH
The area around Newburyport and Plum Island is a prime spot for Bald Eagles in winter. There is even an Eagle Festival each year in February. Check with Mass Audubon Joppa Flats or the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge for details.
If anyone still follows this. There IS one here in Ashaway RI by the river..Ive seen it twice now in 2 months
Had a bald eagle sighting in the Lebanon, N.H area on 8/10/19 and 8/11/19, both along the Connecticut River.
Bald eagle was spotted today off Middle rd in EG. Big one.
Sorry. Middle Rd in East Greenwich RI.
We spend almost every Sunday at Lake Wyola in western Mass and see eagles every time we are there.
Just saw a bald eagle on Cottage Road, South Portland, ME (across from Hobbs Funeral Home) Spectacular!!
I see a pair of eagles just about every day soaring by the Messolonskee stream in Waterville Maine,saw them soaring today
Go where the pros go: staffed hawk-watch sites. It’s both where the birds and money are: Pack Monadnock in Petersborough NH, Carter Hill Orchards in Concord NH, etc.
Newburyport, MA and Parker River National Wildlife Refuge should be on the list, especially in winter. In winter, the eagles gather at the mouth of the Merrimack River. In February, there is an annual Eagle Festival.
I see a bald eagle several times I drive by Lake Quassapaug in Middlebury, Connecticut here are two videos where I found the bald eagle https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iaRTr8tzGug https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iaRTr8tzGug
We’ve seen them flying over our house in Canterbury, Ct. We’ve also seen one in a field in Baltic, CT grabbing prey, and on the dam in Occum, CT eating a fish. All sitings have a common factor – they’re near a river which has plenty of food sources for them and provides tall perches.
Lots of eagles and nests on the many islands of Lake Winnipesaukee in New Hampshire.
Lots of eagles and nests around Ambrose Cove on Lake Winnipesaukee at the northern tip of the lake around Moultonborough and Melvin Village.
Spotted a Bald Eagle flying over Rt. 295 N in Cranston. Flew over highway and landed on a tree. Approx 5+ ft. wingspan.
2 bald eagles in Peabody MA circling over Route 1 near the Sonic restaurant
I saw a large bald eagle flying over Rt. 1 in North Kingstown RI on 3-24
Saw a bald eagle soaring over Diamond Hill Rd, right around Diamond Hill Park, in Cumberland, RI at about 12:30 ET.
I saw a Bald Eagle, flying right above Lynnfield Street, in Peabody, Ma. yesterday afternoon. He was coming from the town of Lynnfield. The eagle flew right over my house towards Centennial Park. This is the 4th time I have seen Bald Eagles flying, over Rt1, Danvers, Ma. and in Peabody, Ma.
grown Bald
Driving on 133 in Boxford a Bald Eagle swooped down right in front of my car a picked up a maybe a squirrel and I was in awe. The wingspan was amazing and the white tale told me it must be a bald eagle.