Once a rare sight in New Hampshire, bald eagles continue to make a resurgence with the number of breeding pairs setting new records each year. One eagle was seen sitting in the snow along Mountain Road in Concord on Tuesday.

Bald eagles were removed from the state’s list of endangered species in 2017, after two decades of population growth.

A recent count by staff and volunteers of the Audubon Society found 109 territorial pairs in New Hampshire last year, up 18% from 2022. 

“It is worth pausing to recall that just 25 years ago we were excitedly hailing the discovery of the state’s second nesting pair at Nubanusit Lake,” wrote Chris Martin, a raptor expert at New Hampshire Audubon. “Now, looking ahead to the 2024 breeding season, we have more than 100 territorial pairs and expect to surpass the milestone of 1,000 eaglets fledged in NH since recovery began in the 1980s.”

Concord is home to at least one pair of eagles known to nest near Horseshoe Pond, not too far from the Merrimack River Outdoor Education and Conservation Area owned by the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests. The area has more than two miles of walking trails for someone hoping to get a glimpse of one of the birds, which can have a wingspan of up to eight feet across.

Outside of Concord, the eight bodies of water in the State support two or more breeding pairs, including Winnipesaukee with 11 pairs, Umbagog with five pairs, and Great Bay/Little Bay and Lake Wantastiquet with three pairs. Lake Francis, Moore Reservoir, Newfound, and Winnisquam all have two pairs.