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Bald eagle migration now under way in northern
Idaho |
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December 8, 2015 |
Bald eagles are now congregating at Wolf Lodge
Bay and Beauty Bay on Coeur d'Alene Lake, and in
the Bayview and Granite Creek areas of Lake Pend
Oreille. Numbers on Coeur d'Alene are lower than
they have been in recent years, as some of the
migrating eagles are stopping at Lake Pend
Oreille on the way south.
The eagles are taking advantage of easy meals,
as mature kokanee salmon complete their life
cycle and die after they spawn on submerged
gravel. Once the kokanee supply dwindles, the
eagles will continue to the Klamath Basin of
Oregon/California, or into Southern Idaho and
Utah.
The bald eagle is unique to North America. When
the first Europeans arrived in North America,
there were 25,000 nesting pairs of bald eagles.
While most people today admire and appreciate
the bald eagle, it hasn't always been so. From
1917 until 1952, over 100,000 bald eagles were
shot in Alaska (prior to statehood) under the
belief they were competitors with humans for
salmon. Development in critical habitats, and
pesticide use inadvertently had negative
unforeseen effects upon eagles. By 1970, there
were only 1500 breeding pairs remaining.
The Bald Eagle Protection Act of 1940 prohibited
killing of eagles and protected habitats. In
1978, the Endangered Species Act listed bald
eagles as "endangered" in 43 states and
"threatened" in 5 states providing further
protection. Reduced direct killing of eagles and
the banning of certain pesticides have enabled
eagles to exhibit dramatic recovery.
The bald eagle has a wingspan up to seven feet.
Males weigh 8-10 pounds; females are larger at
10-14 pounds. Their white heads and chocolate
brown/black bodies of adult bald eagles make it
easy to recognize them instantly. Young birds
have a brown head until maturity at age 4-5.
Many immature bald eagles are mistaken for
golden eagles.
Fish are the preferred fare of bald eagles.
Waterfowl, small mammals, winter or road killed
deer are also utilized when available.
As with all living things; food, water, shelter
and space are the essential elements of the
habitat of an eagle. If any one of these is
missing or unavailable, eagles will not be
present. When areas north of us freeze making
fish unavailable to them, the eagles head our
way.
To avoid disturbing the birds, eagle watchers
are encouraged to use binoculars or spotting
scopes. Watch the body language of the birds you
are viewing. If you are too close, they will
appear uneasy. Remain quiet and move slowly. It
is illegal and unsafe to stop on a public
roadway, so please use only parking lots to view
eagles. Several blind corners on this road make
it very unsafe if people stop on the roadway.
The daily life of an eagle in Wolf Lodge
includes a dawn flight from an overnight roost
over a mile away. Feeding activity begins upon
arrival at the lake and continues throughout the
early morning. Eagles will locate a fish from
the air or a perch, glide over the water, and
grab the fish with its sharp talons. Returning
to a feeding perch in a tree, the eagle tears
pieces off with its beak to eat the fish.
Feeding slows at mid-day, then resumes late
afternoon before the flight back to the roost.
Eagle numbers on in our area generally peak
around Christmas Day, but many remain in the
area well into January.
To catch the peak of the migration on Coeur
d'Alene Lake, the Bureau of Land Management
(BLM) has scheduled its 25th annual "Eagle
Watch" week event. From December 27-31 at the
Wolf Lodge boat launch and the Mineral Ridge
trailhead, Wildlife Biologists and Wildlife
Educators from the BLM, U.S. Forest Service,
Idaho Fish and Game, and the Coeur d'Alene
Chapter of the Audubon Society will be on hand
with spotting scopes, mounted specimens,
displays and literature about eagles from 10:00
a.m. until 3:00 p.m. (They will close at 2:00
p.m. on December 31).
The BLM has set up an eagle watch hotline for
the latest information on eagle numbers on Coeur
d'Alene Lake and viewing conditions. The number,
(208)769-5048 will be in operation throughout
Eagle watch Wweek. Call this number if there are
high winds or winter storms to check if the
watch is still on for that day. Happy New Year! |
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