The Capture of Eagle #K70
by Blanche Towne
February 2, 2000
On Wednesday, February 2, I was lucky enough to capture an adult bald
eagle at the trap site we have established on the St Lawrence River in
northern New York. It was a female, five years old, wearing no bands or
evidence of prior capture. I had entered the blind with another wildlife
tech and waited with all of the gear ready the two previous days and attracted
the attention of crows and immature eagles, but no adults.
On Wednesday I was alone and hopeful as I set up and entered the
blind. After about four and one-half hours of no activity on the
deer carcass, while eagles
and crows were visibly perched in nearby trees, I became suspicious that an
adult might be present just out of my sight. Often, it has been my experience
that the younger birds will avoid feeding or stop feeding if an adult appears.
The adult fed on the carcass for approximately two minutes before I shot the
rocket net and captured it. With my pockets full of all of the items I thought
useful and a wooden crate in my hands, I ran the 500' to the eagle. My journal
reads something like "2:30 adult flew into trap site and perched in white
pine opposite carcass; 5 min later, down on carcass; 2 min later deployed net
....YEA!"
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