Prior to the spring of 2006, there had been no breeding eagles in Vermont in decades. One pair built a nest at Springfield Reservoir during the summer of 2002, but great-horned owls used the nest in 2003. There has also been some nest-building activity near the mouth of the Ottaquechee River near White River Junction, but most of this activity has been on the New Hampshire side of the river. In 2002, a possible bald eagle nest was found on the New York side of Lake Champlain, but no breeding activity was confirmed. The return of breeding bald eagles to Vermont would be a powerful signal to all that the decades of work associated with the protection of Lake Champlain and its surrounding watershed is making a difference. Although the lake still suffers from a variety of water quality problems such as nuisance aquatic species, imported air pollutants, stormwater discharges and excessive nutrient loading in certain areas, the overall health of the lake has improved to the point where it can support the return of a top-level aquatic predator. Report bald eagle sitings! The bald eagles we've released have large metal bands on each leg. If you see an eagle, let us know. We want to know where and when you saw the bird, whether it was with other eagles, and whether there is any white on the head or tail. If you have a spotting scope and can identify a band number, that will help us track the released birds' progress and movements. Below is a list of the 10 birds released in 20065, and their state of origin. 6/H - Maryland 6/X - Maryland 6/Y - Maryland D/A - Maryland D/B - Maryland D/C - Maryland D/D - Massachusetts (hatched in captivity) D/M - Maine D/N - Maine D/K - Maine Below is a list of the 11 birds released in 2005, and their state of origin. 7/K - Maryland 7/M - Maryland 7/N - Maryland 7/P - Maryland 7/U - Maryland 7/R - Maryland 5/Z - Virginia 6/D - Massachusetts 7/V - New York 6/E - New York 7/S - Maine Below is a list of the eight birds released in 2004, and their state of origin. 6/A - Maryland 6/B - Maryland 7/A - Massachusetts 7/B - Massachusetts 7/C - Massachusetts 7/D - Maine 7/E - Maine 7/H - Maine To report an eagle sighting, drop an email to Eveleen Cecchini at director@ofes.org . For more information on bald eagles in Vermont, and the Vermont Bald Eagle Restoration Initiative, click on the links below: Restoration Initiative Downlisting & Delisting Criteria Hack Boxes Partners Vermont breeding? How you can help Regional Breeding Eagle Counts People Behind the Eagles Terms of Use - Copyright 2009 Central Vermont Public Service Copyright photos CVPS, Floyd Scholz U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and Vermont Department of Fish & Wildlife Web related issues