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Bald Eagle Migration Update: March 29, 2006
Today's Report Includes:
- Today’s Map and Data
- Field Notes from Peter Nye
- Connect the Dots for U27: Challenge Question #8
- A Stop-over at the Pepacton Reservoir: Challenge Question #9
- Shhhhhhh – Eagles are Nesting!
- Beak and Claw Math: Measurements Tell the Story
- Discussion of CQ #6: Can You Complete Pete's Sentence?
- Discussing CQ #7: Migrating in Daylight or Darkness
- Teacher Tip: Easy-to-make Student Portfolios
Today’s Map and Data
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As you study today’s maps and data think about all the complex factors involved in the Bald eagle migration.
- Maps
for Individual Eagles
(click event box for scroll down menu) - This
Week's Migration
Data
(Reported Mar. 8– Mar. 15, 2006):
Field Notes from Eagleye Nye
Hello Journey North:
As the temperatures warm here in New York and the sun shines, our eagles continue their march northward; the adults anyway. Here are some things to look at this week.
Let's start with our veteran V98: she continued north this week, although not that far (can you calculate how far she moved in a week?). The March 26 location is actually interesting, but not surprising. V98 seems to have stopped over at one of our major eagle use areas, Pepacton Reservoir in southeastern NY. I doubt she will stay there long, but it is certainly a high quality, undisturbed spot for her to rest and regroup. Our team-member Scott monitors this area, including several nests here.
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U27 on capture day (with Sarah Shute) |
Female U27 also continued north, moving just a bit further into Quebec. Do you think this is "home" for her? How will we be able to tell? Young female U25 also continued north, traveling from our eagle wintering area in southeastern NY to our central Adirondacks, where I'd be surprised if she stayed. Stay tuned for more moves from her.
Female U21 is interesting: she moved slightly northwest from the St. Lawrence River where she was last week, to Ontario Province near the Quebec border and just east of Lake Nipissing. There are a couple of small lakes here, and based on her location and the high quality of the fix, I wonder if she is "home?" We will see!
Finally, adult male P04 moved only a little, and remains in our western Adirondack region.
Our immature eagles don’t have much movement to report. The good news for us is that we again started to receive signals on Y94, and we have a good indication that she may have moved! Also, P88 seems to have moved just a bit west, which would also be good as we were becoming concerned about him.
That's all for now; see you next week!
Eagleye
New York State Dept. Environmental
Conservation
Delmar, NY
Connect the Dots for U27
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Study this close-up map (dates have been added). Connect the dots showing U27’s locations since March 11. Then try this set of challenging questions:
Challenge Question #8:
" Describe the route traveled by U27 in her migration March 11 – 26. (direction, states/countries visited). How many miles did she travel in total during that time? (*hint: Use the mileage scale to measure the distance traveled.) Can you calculate the average number of miles per day that she traveled? What clues might tell us that she has reached her nesting ground?”
To respond to these questions, please follow these instructions.
A Stop-over at the Pepacton Reservoir
 |
Why
was this reservoir created? What makes it good eagle habitat? cr. Mike Szyszka |
- Learn
more about the Pepacton
Reservoir:
Challenge Question #9:
“ What do you think makes the Pepacton Reservoir a major eagle use area? List the factors that make this area good eagle habitat.”
To respond to these questions, please follow these instructions.
Shhhhhhh – Eagles are Nesting!
As the leader of the Endangered Species Unit, Peter Nye keeps his eye on all the nesting birds. On March 15 he wrote, “I took out my kayak and checked on a couple of nearby eagle nests; and sure enough, they were already sitting on eggs!"
During the month-long incubation and 3 months of rearing eaglets it is critical that the birds have few human disturbances. So, how can we “see” more of this fantastic nesting experience without disturbing the eagle family?
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Mark
your calendar-
Hatch date April 9, 2006 |
Try this!
Visit
a live eagle cam on Barton Island, MA. High in the tree tops
a camera
snaps pictures of an active eagle nest. Pictures are collected
daily into galleries for you to view. This year the eagles are
incubating 2 eggs, laid on March 6 and 8. Will they hatch on
schedule
this April 9th? Keep this site bookmarked to learn more about
eagle nesting behavior – close up!
- Eagles Online Picture Gallery
Beak and Claw Math: Measurements Tell the Story
 |
With many bird species, it's easy to tell males from females because
the plumage is different. Not so with eagles (and many other raptors)!
We have to work a little harder to determine whether an eagle is
male or female.
Get out your calculators and sharpen your pencils. Print the student worksheet because we’re going to do some research just like an eagle biologist does.
Discussion of Challenge Question #6: Can You Complete Pete's Sentence?
Which adult moved out of the Chesapeake Bay this week? Fill in the blank: “Starting with our adults, _________ moved north out of the Chesapeake Bay this week, back into NY ...”
Shivani, at Iselin Middle School/7th grade, Iselin, NJ knows how to study a map. She wrote to tell us that U27 was the bird Eagleye was referring to in his Field Report. Right!
This week we take a closer look at U27. Her migration has begun. How far and fast will she reach her nest site? Is she already there? Or, where do you predict she will go? Stay tuned for more as spring unfolds for our eagles.
Discussing Challenge Question #7: Migrating in Daylight or Darkness
Many factors come together to influence eagle migration. After reading Eagleye’s migration information we asked you to answer this:”Do migrating eagles travel during the daylight or under cover of darkness? Explain why.”
Eagles are migrating in the daylight. Why is it important to travel then? Each of your answers demonstrates valuable lessons learned about eagle migration! Read your GREAT ideas:
Teacher Tip: Easy-to-make Student Portfolios
This lesson shows how to create a 9 X 12 project portfolio where students can collect, record, and display information, maps, research findings, and more — all in one convenient, creative, easy-to-handle package. This portfolio showcases all student work for easier assessment.
The Next Bald Eagle Migration Update Will Be Posted on April 5, 2006.
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