The Catskill Chronicle

A real eagle fan! Kids created all sorts of eagles at the Tusten-Cochecton Branch of the Western Sullivan Public Library in Narrowsburg. 

Story and photos by Ted Waddell

John A. DiGiorgio is pictured in the DVAA art gallery with one of his magnificent eagle portraits from Alaska.

NARROWSBURG – Eagles rule once a year in the tiny but art-rich riverside village of Narrowsburg as in January EagleFest flies into town.

Founded nine years ago by John A. and Yoke B. DiGiorgio, directors of the Delaware Valley Eagle Alliance (DVEA), the festival was designed to create public awareness about eagles.

Since then the award winning festival has become a popular venue to educate folks about the nation’s proud symbol of freedom and independence.

The DVEA is a not-for-profit organization “dedicated to increasing awareness, understanding and promoting conservation of our wildlife and
natural environment.”

Chad Gasiorek of Shohola, PA, has been carving ice for 14-some years.

EagleFest 2010 featured guest speakers from several conversation groups, each addressing critical areas of ecological importance: Delaware Valley Raptor Center, University of the Sciences in Philadelphia, Pocono Environmental Education Center, Conservation Science Program/Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Raptor Trust, University of Scranton and the Pocono Wildlife Rehabilitation Center.

Of particular note was “Eagle Updates” hosted by Don Hamilton of the National Park Service (NPS) at the Upper Delaware Scenic & Recreational River (UPDE), which featured Eric Stiles of the New Jersey Audubon and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC).

A 2010 EagleFest poster by Craig Stewart of Callicoon.

While there weren’t a lot eagles in the skies on Sunday, January 16, folks flocked to the deck overlooking Big Eddy to watch Chad Gasiorek of Shohola, PA use an electric chainsaw, a few handheld cutting tools and lots of imagination to create the magnificent birds of prey out of blocks of ice.

Movies were screened at the local firehouse, and a variety of activities were available for kids at the Western Sullivan Public Library including “Adventures of Christopher Otter” by John and Teresa Crerand, Ed Wesley’s interactive puppet show “Farmers Garden”, and  storytelling and crafts with Maureen Cokkingham.

To view more photos or to purchase prints from Eagles Rule in Narrowsburg visit the Chronicle on Zenfolio.