Had two babies crash land in a tree behind my parents house last year. Must have been their first couple flights, not too graceful but pretty awesome.
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That is cool!Comment
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That's is awesome. A few weekends ago, we made one pass around Pine Island on Lake Livingston and counted five, sitting on limbs overlooking the water. It was awesome to see that with my girls and we got to watch as one snatched a fish out of the lake and flew back to his tree. It was very impressive.Comment
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Magnificent creatures..Great to see them taking up residence so close.Comment
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It can be a double edged sword to have bald eagles around. I know a guy who works for Entergy, and they recently had to pay a few million dollar fine for an eagle that electrocuted itself on one of the power lines that they maintain over Lake Conroe. The Feds came in, fined them, and then told them to come up with a plan to never electrocute another eagle. Entergy asked some ornithologists what they can do do prevent the eagles from frying themselves, and none could come up with anything. So, they went back to the feds and asked them what to do. The Feds said that it wasn't their responsibility, and they couldn't give them any direction. They eventually reached an out of court settlement with U.S. Fish and Wildlife, which basically lead to a larger fine. So, why should you care? Because you pay for this as part of your electric bill.Comment
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Bald Eagles
Life History and Conservation Success:
The Bald Eagle's recovery is an American success story. It no longer needs the protection of the Endangered Species Act because its population is protected, healthy, and growing. Here are some facts about the bald eagle and its journey to recovery.
Why the Bald Eagle almost went extinct in this country:
Habitat was lost when virgin forests were cleared
Animals that eagles eat (like shorebirds and ducks) also declined because of overhunting
Eagles were shot because they were thought to threaten livestock
DDT, an insecticide with widespread use, built up in adult eagles and caused them to lay thin-shelled eggs that cracked before the chicks could hatch.
What we did to bring the Bald Eagle back
We banned DDT
We prohibited killing of eagles
We improved water quality in many of our lakes and rivers
We protected nest sites
We restored eagles back to areas where they had been eliminated
Some bald eagle biology facts:
The Bald Eagle is truly an all-American bird; it is the only eagle unique to North America.
Nests are sometimes used year after year and can weigh as much as 4,000 pounds
Bald Eagles may live 30 years in the wild (even longer in captivity)
Bald Eagles pair for life, but if one dies, the survivor will accept a new mate.
In hot climates, like Louisiana and Florida, Bald Eagles nest during winter
Bald eagles get their distinctive white head and tail only after they reach maturity at 4 to 5 years of age.
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That is sweet!Comment
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How long ago was that? Was it before or after they were de-listed?Originally posted by ultrastealth View PostComment
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Oh it is a double edge sword also for some I am sure. Get them around one of your private lakes/tanks with fish feeders.Comment
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They were delisted in 2007, but are still protected by the migratory bird treaty act and the bald eagle protection act.Originally posted by ultrastealth View Post
However the strict liability clause has been lifted from the MBTA recently as well.
Tough to say without knowing all the facts of the case.Comment
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Very cool...Comment
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That nest is huge! Cool!Comment
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Kurt - my wife and I watched 5 eagles in the nest your talking about. I think there are at least 3 young if not 4 in the nest. Its amazing how big they are and the size of the branches they make the nest out of.
Very coolComment
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That's cool, I use to see them while fishing with my grandfather in Alaska on the Susitna river.Comment
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