Bald Eagle Migration Update: April 16, 2002 Today's Report Includes: Latest Migration Map and Data Field Notes from Peter Nye Out of Bed and Up a Tree? Discussion of Challenge Question #15 Reminder: Peter Nye?s Work Featured on PBS Next Week Why Blood Tests for Babies? Challenge Question #16 Visit an Eagle Nest With Peter Nye Read More About Eagle Nests Would an Eagle Nest Fit in Your Classroom? Challenge Question #17 Latest Migration Map and Data Link to Latest Data: Eagle #E47 Eagle #E49 Eagle #E50 Eagle #E63 Eagle #K58 Eagle #K70 Eagle #K72 Golden Eagle #A20 Printer-friendly Version Field Notes from Peter Nye Seems like E50 is really taking his time. But in looking back at last year's data, he's not that far off. (Note that his nest-site is marked on the map. Do you think he?ll ?beeline? across the Gulf of St. Lawrence, or fly along the shore of the St. Lawrence River to get there?) E63 getting close to home... Looks like Golden Eagle A20 is sill not ready to go yet! What's K58 up to? I've actually been wondering that myself though for the past couple years. She has seemed to bounce back and forth between Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island on her summering grounds. It is not the usual pattern we see of a nesting bird, where fixes in April, May, June come from a very localized breeding spot. She, on the other hand, if you review the past maps, seems to have multiple favorite haunts in both these areas. It is possible she has been nesting at one or the other, and is simply doing a lot of traveling from the nest for food. This is one of the sites I would like to visit this summer, if I get the chance. For two reasons: to see if she is nesting and if she does so successfully, and to try to capture her mate and affix a satellite transmitter to him, to compare migratory behavior with her. K58's Migration Patterns Spring, 2001 Spring, 2002 Out of Bed and Up a Tree? Discussion of Challenge Question #15 Photo: USFWS Everyone who answered Challenge Question #15 thought I?d be climbing trees in May to look for eggs. But (unlike the eagles you?re tracking as they migrate to Canada) in New York our eagles began nesting way back in February/March. By May, the eggs will have hatched and it will be time to band the young. Our work will be similar to past years: We visit every active nest, determine the status of the breeding territory (any threats?), climb the tree, inspect the nest, identify any prey in the nest, band the young, collect any unhatched eggs, and sometimes fortify the nests with some bracing if that is necessary. We will take blood from eaglets at several sites throughout the state again this year, but just as routine background data collection on how our eagles are doing. Then, following the climb, we install a predator guard on the tree to prevent mammalian predators from getting to the nest, and take a global-position (GPS) reading for accurate mapping of the site. Photo: USFWS Thank goodness for volunteer eagle-watchers! In New York, as I'm sure elsewhere (although nobody does eagles as intensively as we do ! ;-), we are very fortunate to have a small, but very dedicated, army of folks who sort-of adopt certain nests, and provide critical information to us as the nesting season progresses. Our work on our New York nesting population begins in February, as we begin to see some of our pairs return to their nest sites and start working on (redecorating) their nests for the upcoming season. They might typically add 8-15 inches of new material to the nest, which is why the nests can get so large over time. The volunteers make observations for us such as: When eagles are first seen back on the territory When they initiate incubation When hatch occurs And when young fledge. (Or, if the nest fails for some reason, they let us know) This information is critical to me in knowing the status of our nests, the age of the young in those nests, so I can set up our field schedule for nest visits. Last year (2001), we had 62 breeding pairs in our state, and they raised and fledged 83 young. I banded 75 of these. Each year now for many years, our breeding population grows, and this year is no exception. We have located many new nests already for 2002, and I expect we will be near or over 70 breeding pairs in the state. (I think when we reach 100 breeding pairs, that would be a good point for me to retire. What do you think?) Photos: USFWS We have nests all over the state of New York. We start in western NY where the eagles always seem to start nesting earliest, then do the central and southern and eastern part of the state, then end up in the northern part and the Adirondack Mountains. So, you can see why it's tough to find time to go "eagleing" up in Canada! Though I?d love to visit the nests of the eagles we?re tracking. Reminder: Peter Nye?s Work Featured on PBS Next Week Just a reminder to watch the PBS/Bill Moyers special on the Hudson River on 23 and 24 April. You'll get to see some of what I've described above, in action. Until next time, Eagle Eye Nye New York State Dept. Environmental Conservation Why Blood Tests for Babies? Challenge Question #16 Peter Nye says they will take blood from some eaglets this summer, ?as routine background data collection on how our eagles are doing.? Challenge Question #16 ?Why do you think it?s important to test the eagles? blood? What do you suppose they are testing the blood to find?? (To respond to this question, please follow the instructions below.) Visit an Eagle Nest With Peter Nye Photo: USFWS To help keep nests clean, eagles continuously add fresh vegetation to their nest, covering up old food. I have yet to see them actually "clean-up" their nest, however, by removing old fish scraps. Some nests get pretty gross with old, maggot-filled fish parts stuck in the sticks of the nest, baking in the hot sun! Visit an Eagle Nest With Peter Nye Read More About Eagle Nests Of all birds in the world, Bald Eagles hold the record for the biggest nest ever built. The average eagle nest is 1.5-1.8 meters in diameter and 0.7-1.2 meters tall. However, one nest in Florida was 6.1 meters deep, 2.9 meters wide, and weighed 2,722 kg (almost 3 tons)! About Eagle Nests Challenge Question #17 ?Name something that weighs as much as the record-sized eagle nest. Could a Bald Eagle nest this size fit in your classroom?? How to Respond to Today's Challenge Question: 1. Address an e-mail message to: jn-challenge-eagle@learner.org 2. In the Subject Line of your message write: Challenge Question #16 (or #17). 3. In the body of your message, answer the question above. The Next Bald Eagle Migration Update Will Be Posted on April 23, 2002 Copyright 2002 Journey North. All Rights Reserved. Please send all questions, comments, and suggestions to our feedback form