Sheffield Mills Eagle Watch organizers not deterred by winter storms
For organizers of the annual Sheffield Mills Eagle Watch, the show must go on in spite of “brutal” winter weather.
Organizing committee member Richard Hennigar said they served 39 sausage and pancake breakfasts at the Sheffield Mills Community Hall on Jan. 31, despite Kings County being under a winter storm warning. He said they were doing much better on Feb. 1, with about an hour to go. However, numbers were still down due to the weather.
“We’re not having a regular day,” Hennigar said. “Four hundred is a good average day for us and we won’t make that today because of the snow squalls this morning, it was pretty brutal.”
However, the expectation that winter storms will strike in late January and early February was one reason for deciding several years ago to hold the event over two weekends instead of one.
“That’s part of our philosophy for having it over two weekends,” Hennigar said. “It spreads out the risk and if we can get two or three good days, it makes the event work out well.”
There were still dozens of people in attendance at the eagle viewing area at the intersection of Middle Dyke and Bains roads shortly after 11 a.m. on Feb. 1.
Ten-year-old Noah Haase of Lunenburg County said he likes taking pictures of birds and wildlife. He said he was enjoying Eagle Watch and got to see lots of eagles. His hands were cold despite of his gloves but the weather wasn’t enough to deter him. Haase said he hopes to come back next year. “I’ve taken a lot of pictures,” he said. Haase was pretty sure he would be pleased with his eagle photos, although, he said, “I haven’t checked them over yet.”
Eagle Watch continues next weekend, Feb. 7 and 8, in Sheffield Mills and surrounding communities. Hennigar said there would be all kinds of great, locally sourced food as part of the breakfasts at the community hall, as well as live musical entertainment and “the eagles will be doing their thing.” There will also be eaglethemed displays upstairs at the community hall.
For the complete schedule, visit www.eaglens.ca. For a video and photo slideshow from Eagle Watch, visit www.kingscountynews.ca.