View nesting Bald Eagles June 17 and 19

["Utah Birds" <utahbirds at excite dot com>]

The "Wildlife News" sent in by Mark Hadley has an announcement about a chance to view some nesting Bald Eales.  Here's a clip:

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Contact: Ron Stewart, DWR Northeastern Region Conservation Outreach Manager (435) 781-9453


View Nesting Bald Eagles June 17 and 19

Salt Lake City -- Two adult bald eagles and their three baby eaglets will be the center of attention June 17 and 19 during Division of Wildlife Resources' Watchable Wildlife field trips near the southeast shore of the Great Salt Lake.

The trips will leave at 6 p.m. each evening from the Department of
Natural Resources, 1594 W. North Temple in Salt Lake City. There is no cost to participate, but reservations are required. To reserve a spot call Bob Walters, Watchable Wildlife program coordinator for the Division of Wildlife Resources, at (801) 538-4771.

Participants will follow Walters in their vehicles, traveling on mostly paved roads to the viewing site. He'll have some spotting scopes and binoculars available, but participants who have their own are encouraged to bring them. "It'll be warm, so dress accordingly, and bring some mosquito spray," he advises.

Participants are free to leave the viewing site anytime during the
evening.

Those who participate will be able to view the first nesting pair of bald eagles documented in northern Utah since 1928. Bald eagles have used the present nest site yearly since 1996. Two eaglets have been produced each year except in 1999, 2001, 2002 and this year, when three were successfully raised. "That's a total of 22 eaglets over a nine year period!" Walters said. "This Great Salt Lake eagle pair is extremely productive."

Walters says bald eagle pairs often nest at the same site each year, and the adult eagles that will be viewed June 17 and 19 are probably the same pair nature enthusiasts have viewed at the site since 1996. The eagles are utilizing a manmade nest built as a replacement for their original nest snag, which was blown to the ground during a violent windstorm on June 13, 2001.

Walters said the eaglets should be learning to fly the third week in June, so there's a good chance those attending the mid-June field trips will watch as the eaglets make some of their first flights from their nest and back.

The eaglets will be about 11- to 12-weeks-old by mid-June. They and their parents should remain at the nest site until early-July, before leaving for other areas, Walters said.

Walters says the success the eagles have found raising young through the years illustrates the quality and importance of the existing riparian and lacustrine habitat within the greater Great Salt Lake area.
"We should take a small bow in honor of the accomplishments of these eagles and pledge to continue to exercise the restraint necessary to ensure that habitat is protected and preserved for wildlife across the state," he said.

In addition to the northern Utah site, Utah has four other active bald eagle nest sites. Two of the sites are near the Colorado River in southeastern Utah, one is near Price in central Utah and a new site was found in northeastern Utah this year.

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