FirstLight: Bald eagles thrive in CT as Shepaug Observatory celebrates 40th season
A lookout point on the Housatonic River is a front-row seat to a Connecticut conservation success story — bald eagles. This year, Shepaug Eagle Observatory in Southbury celebrates its 40th season of environmental education.
January is peak viewing time for bald eagles here. The state has year-round residents, but the birds that summer up north make their way down for the winter, where it is a little easier to find open water for fishing, like at Shepaug Dam.
“The upwelling water at the bottom of the dam prevents the ice from freezing. It also drives some of the fish towards the surface,” said Andy Brydges with FirstLight, the energy company that manages the dam and partners with the observatory. “It creates consistent, viable fishing grounds for the eagles in the winter. So they’re very happy there!”
Read more via WSHU >> https://www.wshu.org/connecticut-news/2026-01-07/bald-eagles-ct-shepaug-observatory