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Bald Eagle Migration Update: February 16, 2005
Today's Report Includes:
- Field Notes from Peter Nye
- Today’s Map and Data
- Nye Leaves Unanswered Questions for YOU!
- Teacher Tip: Bald Eagle Resource Page
- The Bald Eagle Protection Act
- A Case of Reckless Disregard for Bald Eagle Nest
- Challenge Question #4
- Answers to CQ #3: What Time is It, Satellite Time?
- Eagle Glossary
Field Notes from Peter Nye
 |
Meet
A29 |
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Kathy
and immature bald eagle P03 |
As you can see, we only got a single data-day for golden eagle A20 this week. We'll have to let some more time go by to confirm, but it appears that this transmitter battery may have died (either that or something could have happened to both the bird and the transmitter). Looking back at the deployment date for this unit, it is now almost exactly 3 years old, the anticipated life-span for this unit, so it would make sense that it is about to shut down (kids: can you find out when this unit was deployed?)
Kathy Michell and I were out trapping on Wednesday of this week (02/09/05), down along the Upper Delaware River, as part of our new study of eagles there. We had a pretty good day; capturing two eagles. However, not to get all of you too excited, neither of these birds are our “traditional Journey North" migration subjects. One, an immature bald eagle about 2.5 yrs old now, known as P03, was given a conventional vhf radio transmitter for local tracking only. The other eagle, A29, is a beautiful adult male bald eagle, and we did outfit him with both a satellite and conventional radio transmitter. However, I believe that he is one of our local breeders right there along the Delaware River, so while not a migrant study animal, we hope to get a tremendous amount of information on the home range of A29 and the essential habitats he uses. (Why would that be important?). This is precisely what our Delaware River study hopes to find out from eagles using this area.
Kathy and I hope to be out again trapping next week; we'll see what happens!
Eagleye Nye
New York State Dept. Environmental
Conservation
Delmar, NY
Today’s Map and Data
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Our
latest eagle map |
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Eagleye
Nye with A29: what will we learn from him? |
This week Eagleye challenges you to help him out. Read his Field Notes then give him a hand! Find the answers he seeks using information from our Resource page:
1. When do you calculate
that V98's transmitter should shut down?
2. When was Golden eagle A20’s transmitter deployed
3. Define the “traditional Journey North” eagle that is studied.
4. What do you think immature bald eagle, P03 will do? What kinds of behaviors
make immatures unsuitable subjects for this study?
Teacher
Tip:
Find the link to Lessons, Activities and Resources on the Bald
Eagle Index Page.
The Bald Eagle Protection Act
Did you know there is a Federal act prohibiting the taking or possession of Bald and Golden eagles? The Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act imposes criminal and civil penalties on anyone in the U.S who, takes, possesses, sells, purchases, barters, offers to sell, transports, exports or imports at any time or in any manner a Bald or Golden eagle, alive or dead; OR any part, nest or egg of these eagles.
Why has the Federal government taken such a strong position protecting the eagles? Since the enactment of protective legislation and the banning of DDT in 1972, the outlook for bald eagles is more promising than it has been for several decades.
Historically,
there were several factors leading to the decline in the eagle population.
Many eagles were forced out of suitable habitat areas by people desiring
waterside building sites. Also, large numbers of eagles were once indiscriminately
killed in the United States and Canada. More recently, populations declined
due to the heavy use of pesticides, particularly DDT. These compounds
accumulated in the tissues of eagles and other birds of prey, inhibiting
successful reproduction by thinning their eggshells.
The good news is that the Bald eagle has made a comeback. Continued resource
management and conservation education are needed to protect these birds
for the future generations. Read more about the history of Bald eagles:
A Case of Reckless Disregard for Bald Eagle Nest
 |
 |
A
wildlife expert visits an eagle nest |
We pass the article along for your reading and discussion.
In the article you read that the landowner was punished for cutting down a tree on his land with Bald eagle nest in it. Was this fair? What do you think?
Teacher
Tip:
Guide to Making Informed Opinions
Where do you stand on an issue? How do you come to make your stand and
form an opinion on any particular topic of controversy? This activity
provides opportunities for paraphrasing, making inferences, and building
opinions using a cognitive organizer called a PMI. Use it for a guide
to take you through a process for making an educated stand on any issue/debate
of current interest and study.
- Exposing
All Sides:Guide to Making Informed Opinions
Challenge Question #4:
“The fine imposed on the men who cut down the Bald eagle nest was too harsh.
Do you agree or disagree with this statement? Defend your answer.”
(To
respond to this question, please follow the instructions below.)
Answers to CQ #3: What Time is It, Satellite Time?
The eagle’s satellite transmitter gives scientists the time in Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). GMT, based on the local time in Greenwich, England, is 5 hours different from the Eastern Standard Time Zone. Therefore, to calculate the difference, subtract 5 hours from GMT. Here’s what we calculated for Challenge Question #3:
| Eagle |
Date |
Time
(GMT) |
Time
(EST) |
| A20 |
01/27/05 |
22:45:40 |
17:45:40 |
| A20 |
01/30/05 |
2:58:41 |
9:54:41
(01/29) |
| A20 |
02/01/05 |
8:32:17 |
3:32:17 |
| V98 |
01/29/05 |
18:54:45 |
13:54:45 |
| V98 |
01/31/05 |
22:52:11 |
17:52:11 |
| V98 |
02/03/05 |
1:36:32 |
8:36:32
(02/02) |
Study this information. Can you pick out which data were given around dusk, mid-day, and in the middle of the night? Why do you think the transmitters are programmed to send information at these times?
Eagle Glossary
Build your vocabulary with terms used in our reports as we study eagles this season. Find the following terms from this week’s report and define them in your eagle journals or portfolios: deploy, resource management, conservation education.
- Bookmark the Journey North Bald Eagle Glossary
How to Respond to Today's Challenge Questions:
IMPORTANT: Answer only ONE question in each e-mail message.
1. Address
an e-mail message to: jn-challenge-eagle@learner.org
2. In the Subject Line of your message write: Challenge Question #4.
3. In the body of EACH message, answer ONE of the questions above.
The Next Bald Eagle Migration Update Will Be Posted on February 23, 2005.
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1997-2005 Journey North. All Rights Reserved.
Please send all questions, comments, and suggestions to jn-help@learner.org
