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Migration
Update: February 4, 2009 |
Welcome
to the 2009 Journey North Bald Eagle Study! |
Expert Peter
Nye
What's it all about? >> |
Welcome!
Greetings from the Eagle Expert |
Hello
student eagle trackers;
Once again
it’s time to check in with New York State’s bald eagles. As
those of you who have been involved in Journey North may know, we have
been capturing and radio-tagging wintering bald eagles as part of a bigger
study along the Delaware River in southern New York. We want to know more
about eagle habitat in this area of the state. Tracking the eagles will
help us to know where they are so we can best protect these habitats along
the river.
These satellite
tagged birds can also give us a unique look beyond their winter visits
to New York State. As student scientists, tracking the eagles with Journey
North gives us a chance to learn more about eagle ecology, such as their
movement pathways to and from New York, their summering/breeding grounds,
and their arrival and departure dates.
Our tagged
eagles have shown us where they have traveled for 2 or more full years.
They are still transmitting, giving you and us the opportunity to see
if past patterns are consistent, or if they will change this year; I’ll
leave it to you to be the judge as they move north again shortly in 2009.
Obviously you will have to do some homework to dig up the data on where
they have previously summered, when they left NY in the spring and arrived
in the fall, how long it has taken them to get back to their summering
grounds, and other cool questions you might come up with!
Meantime,
enjoy following our eagles, and keep that curiosity going!
Regards,
Eagleye
(Peter Nye,
Journey North Eagle Expert)
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Meet
the Eagles of 2009
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This
spring we will be tracking 4 adult eagles captured in New York State. |
Three
of these birds, U21, U25 and U27 have been tracked since 2006. The
fourth, S28 was captured in January, 2008.
What
do our 4 eagles have in common? We believe that
they all are winter visitors in New York State. Why do they come
to New York? Where will they go this spring? Follow along with us
this spring as their migration stories unfold.
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Explore:
What's
it All About? |
The
Bald Eagle Migration Study
Read this hands-on, introductory booklet about the Bald Eagle Migration
project. Print and fold the booklet, or watch a slideshow version.
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- Slideshow
>>
- Teacher
Guide >>
Use
your Bald Eagle Journal to record the important ideas.>>
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Introductory
Slideshow>> |
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News:
Fall Migration Map |
Satellite
Transmitters Give Us a Look at Fall Migration |
The latest fall migration map shows where our 4 eagles were last
fall, and when they each decided to head back south to their wintering
grounds. How do the birds' migrations compare?
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Fall 2008 Map (labeled) >>
- Live
Map >>
How
does the Fall 2007 migration compare to Fall 2008? Study the map
archives to compare and contrast the two years >> |
Fall
Migration Map >>
Inset: Map Archives >> |
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Explore:
Brief History of NY Bald Eagles |
Flash
back to 1976. There is one pair of nesting bald eagles in the state,
but no young birds. Each year the pair lays eggs and each year the
eggs collapse during incubation. The egg shells are thinned by the
DDT in their parents’ bodies. |
Is
it possible to re-build a bald eagle population when faced with
this enormous environmental problem?
This
week learn about the creative programs that the Department of Environmental
Conservation developed to bring back the bald eagle population over
the past 30 years.
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An
eagle roosting.
Credit: Jon McRay |
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Try
This! Build Your Own Eagle Glossary |
Scientists
use a specialized language to describe their work. Their careful
observations are filled with vocabulary that we share with you in
each eagle update.
How
many new words did you read in today's update? Make a list in your
Eagle Journal and add to it each time you read about eagles!
*
Here's our list. Did we miss any?>> |
Build
your vocabulary list in a notebook.
Try
illustrating the words!
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Links:
This Week's Eagle Resources |
- Read:
Brief History of NY Bald Eagles >>
- Research:
Ideas for Comparing Satellite Data >>
- How
to Get Started: Orientation and Key Activities >>
- Recording:
Keep a Bald Eagle Journal >>
- Journey
North for Kids:
Eagles >>
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Record
questions and observation notes in your Eagle Journal >> |
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The
Next Bald Eagle Migration Update Will Be Posted on February 11, 2009.
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