Sheffield Mills Eagle Watch to feature passenger shuttle to help traffic congestion
Festivities to be held Jan. 25 and 26, Feb. 1 and 2
Organizers and community volunteers are getting ready to once again welcome thousands of eagle enthusiasts.
The 29th annual Sheffield Mills Eagle Watch takes place over two weekends, Jan. 25 and 26 and Feb. 1 and 2. Meg Hodges, a member of the Sheffield Mills Community Association executive, said she is very excited about this year’s festivities.
For the first time, organizers have arranged for a shuttle service to help alleviate traffic congestion close to the feeding site.
“People can park at the Canning Fire Hall and there will be a shuttle operating every 15 minutes in a loop,” Hodges said.
The shuttle will take visitors to the feeding site, located at the intersection of Middle Dyke and Bains roads, and to the breakfast at the Sheffield Mills Community Hall and back to the Canning Fire Hall. The cost to take the shuttle is $2 per person over 12 years old. Hodges said the purpose of the shuttle is not to make money but to enhance the Eagle Watch experience for visitors.
She said they have 40 to 50 of what they refer to as “resident” eagles in the community and the feedings also draw in approximately 100 migrant birds. As the migrant birds bring their young,
those numbers increase with time.
She said the breakfast has always been her favourite aspect of Eagle Watch. Hodges can usually be found at the community hall on all four days, volunteering to make pick-ups if needed, clearing tables and listening to the musical performances.
“The musicians that volunteer their time make it extra special,” Hodges said. “The breakfast is the best part for me, I think it’s so much fun.”
The breakfast raises funds in support of the operation and maintenance of the Sheffield Mills Community Hall and for other community activities and charitable causes.
She said Eagle Watch has experienced somewhat of a resurgence over the last few years with more visitors and a greater level of volunteer support from the community.
Hodges recalls that they struggled to cover all the volunteer shifts the first year she was involved. This year, they have more volunteers than shifts to fill. She said it’s a great problem to have and it’s very exciting to see the level of community support surrounding Eagle Watch building.
Hodges said several young families have moved into the Sheffield Mills area recently that are getting engaged and are excited to be involved.
“There’s just like a whole new life getting breathed into Sheffield Mills and it’s really, really exciting,” she said.
Last year, there were between 5,000 and 6,000 visitors over the two weekends to the eagle feeding site and the breakfasts. Volunteers served more than 2,000 breakfasts over the four days, which was an Eagle Watch record.
Hodges said the increase in visitors has qualified the community association to leverage increased grant funding from the County of Kings. This has helped the association pay for the shuttle buses.