A Tribute to the Fallen Eagles
July 8, 2014 ~ Tragedy Again in Decorah
We are Heartbroken to Announce the Electrocution of our Male Juvenile Decorah Eaglet (EWOT / believed to be D18)
Bob Anderson (of Raptor Resource Project) has released this statement:
"This morning the one young 2014 male eagle was seen soaring high over the bluff near Decorah compost site. We were all impressed by his flying skill. We believe that the young eagle was on his way back to the compost site when he attempted to land on the power pole about 1/2 mile from the compost site. This was a high transmission power pole and the eaglet suffered burns on its wing (wrist) and singed feathers on his feet. The electricity either entered through its feet and out the wing or vice versa, and his wing was nearly severed.We are all very saddened as his flying prowess led us to believe that we would have a long lived male eagle to compliment the data from our famous D1".
You may recall the Decorah eagles D12 and D14 were both electrocuted in 2012, and while many of the power poles around the nest and hatchery were retrofitted, not all poles in Decorah were, and this pole was quite a distance from the nest tree.
Bob Anderson (of Raptor Resource Project) has released this statement:
"This morning the one young 2014 male eagle was seen soaring high over the bluff near Decorah compost site. We were all impressed by his flying skill. We believe that the young eagle was on his way back to the compost site when he attempted to land on the power pole about 1/2 mile from the compost site. This was a high transmission power pole and the eaglet suffered burns on its wing (wrist) and singed feathers on his feet. The electricity either entered through its feet and out the wing or vice versa, and his wing was nearly severed.We are all very saddened as his flying prowess led us to believe that we would have a long lived male eagle to compliment the data from our famous D1".
You may recall the Decorah eagles D12 and D14 were both electrocuted in 2012, and while many of the power poles around the nest and hatchery were retrofitted, not all poles in Decorah were, and this pole was quite a distance from the nest tree.
From the Raptor Resource Project Facebook Page
Two Known Tragedies From The Decorah Eagle's Nest in 2014
Sadly, we have experienced two losses of juvenile eagles from the Decorah nest that we know of. If anything happened in the prior years to any of the fledged eaglets, we would have no way of knowing. Both D12 & D14 from the 2012 season were unfortunately electrocuted on power poles. We lost D12 on July 1, 2012, and we lost D14 on November 25, 2012. D12 was near the natal nest area at the time it happened, and D14 was approximately 50 miles away, near Rockford, Iowa. We would not have known about D14's death had we not been tracking him, but Bob was not getting good readings from the transmitter and set out to find him. The remains of both eagles were sent to the National Eagle Repository in Colorado.
Sadly, we have experienced two losses of juvenile eagles from the Decorah nest that we know of. If anything happened in the prior years to any of the fledged eaglets, we would have no way of knowing. Both D12 & D14 from the 2012 season were unfortunately electrocuted on power poles. We lost D12 on July 1, 2012, and we lost D14 on November 25, 2012. D12 was near the natal nest area at the time it happened, and D14 was approximately 50 miles away, near Rockford, Iowa. We would not have known about D14's death had we not been tracking him, but Bob was not getting good readings from the transmitter and set out to find him. The remains of both eagles were sent to the National Eagle Repository in Colorado.
D14 ~ November 27, 2012
Photo courtesy of Allen Johnson
We are sorry to announce that Bob Anderson found D14 dead yesterday near Rockford, Iowa. D14, a 2012 hatch year bald eagle from Decorah, Iowa, was electrocuted after landing or trying to land on a power pole. Bob immediately notified the utility company. D14's body will be sent to the National Eagle Repository, where his feathers and other parts will be distributed for use in Native American religious ceremonies. Bob and Brett Mandernack did a close examination of D14's body. He was healthy and butterball fat. There were no signs of wear from the transmitter or backpack.
How common is electrocution? A federal study done in the 1990s identified impact injuries, poisoning, gunshot, and electrocution as the top four sources of bald eagle mortality. We haven't seen it in Decorah until this year, but D14's transmitter was the only reason we were able to follow him after he left the nest. New poles commonly have bird safety devices since bird electrocutions are not only tragic, but can cause fires and power supply disruptions. However, many old poles remain and safety devices don't always work. It's been known since the 1920s that power lines and poles can present a danger to birds. As Bald eagle (and presumably other large bird) populations expand, more electrocutions may happen.
D12, a sibling of D14, was electrocuted earlier this year. A group calling themselves The Memorial for D12 Facebook Group (aka The Raptor Nation) responded by working with Alliant Energy, Puget Sound Energy, Decorah High School, and Decorah Building Supply to develop and fit bird-safe perches for the hatchery. I have a blog post and links about that here:
http://raptorresource.blogspot.com/2012/11/bird-safe-power-poles.html.
If you'd like to initiate a perch project in your area, please talk with your local power company. The following links provide wonderful sources of information:
Avian Power Line Interaction Committee: http://www.aplic.org/
D12 Memorial Group story: http://raptorresource.blogspot.com/2012/11/bird-safe-power-poles.html
Avian Protection Devices: http://www.srpnet.com/environment/aviandiagram.aspx
D12 Perches: http://www.flickr.com/photos/68092929@N03/8203641600/
All raptors - all wild animals - face myriad dangers in their lives. It is easy to forget that watching and tracking them doesn't protect them. We'll miss following D14.
Posted 29th November 2012 by Amy Ries
How common is electrocution? A federal study done in the 1990s identified impact injuries, poisoning, gunshot, and electrocution as the top four sources of bald eagle mortality. We haven't seen it in Decorah until this year, but D14's transmitter was the only reason we were able to follow him after he left the nest. New poles commonly have bird safety devices since bird electrocutions are not only tragic, but can cause fires and power supply disruptions. However, many old poles remain and safety devices don't always work. It's been known since the 1920s that power lines and poles can present a danger to birds. As Bald eagle (and presumably other large bird) populations expand, more electrocutions may happen.
D12, a sibling of D14, was electrocuted earlier this year. A group calling themselves The Memorial for D12 Facebook Group (aka The Raptor Nation) responded by working with Alliant Energy, Puget Sound Energy, Decorah High School, and Decorah Building Supply to develop and fit bird-safe perches for the hatchery. I have a blog post and links about that here:
http://raptorresource.blogspot.com/2012/11/bird-safe-power-poles.html.
If you'd like to initiate a perch project in your area, please talk with your local power company. The following links provide wonderful sources of information:
Avian Power Line Interaction Committee: http://www.aplic.org/
D12 Memorial Group story: http://raptorresource.blogspot.com/2012/11/bird-safe-power-poles.html
Avian Protection Devices: http://www.srpnet.com/environment/aviandiagram.aspx
D12 Perches: http://www.flickr.com/photos/68092929@N03/8203641600/
All raptors - all wild animals - face myriad dangers in their lives. It is easy to forget that watching and tracking them doesn't protect them. We'll miss following D14.
Posted 29th November 2012 by Amy Ries
Photos courtesy of Allen Johnson
D12 - July 1, 2012
We are very sorry to announce that D12 is dead. D12 was found electrocuted at the base of a power pole on a Sunday morning. We notified the power company, who modified the top of that pole on Sunday and several other poles in the area on Monday. As of this morning, they are continuing to identify and modify poles to make them raptor safe... from The Decorah Eagles Facebook page.
source: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Raptor-Resource-Project/103786266324668
source: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Raptor-Resource-Project/103786266324668
Photographs of D12 - images from June 15-17, 2012
Avian Protection Plan Info
An Avian Protection Plan (APP) is a program developed to protect and conserve migratory birds by reducing the operational and avian risks that result from avian interactions with electric utility facilities. An APP should be specific to the utility or installation for which it is designed, targeting issues and providing solutions applicable to that particular utility or installation. An APP should place emphasis on preventing avian electrocution mortality through identifying areas of high raptor use and retrofitting unsafe utility structures that threaten raptors as well as other avian species.
source: http://www.dodpif.org/plans/app.php APP PetitionClick title text to follow the link.
US Fish and Wildlife Service; Avian Power Line Interaction Committee: Make the Avian Protection Plan mandatory. Donate! |
by pharmerdave2
|
It's Time For Me To Fly - the Jonas Brothers
It's time for me to fly, It's time for me to soar
It's time for me to open up my heart
and knock on heaven's door.
Time for me to live, Time for me to sing
Time for me to lay down all my worries
and I'll spread my wings.
Time for me to FLY!
The Earth can be a heavy ride
When the clouds are in your eyes
But I feel a calling
I will rise, I won't be falling.
And I'll escape the gravity,
And I'll reach my destiny
And I'll Fly Away!
It's time for me to fly, It's time for me to soar
It's time for me to open up my heart
and knock on heaven's door.
Time for me to live, Time for me to sing
Time for me to lay down all my worries
and I'll spread my wings.
Time for me to FLY!
Time for me to fly
The gates of heaven will open wide
I will be, I will rise
There won't be compromise
As I take to open the skies
It's time for me to fly, It's time for me to soar
It's time for me to open up my heart
and knock on heaven's door.
Time for me to live, Time for me to sing
Time for me to lay down all my worries
and I'll spread my wings.
I'm gonna fly,
I will fly away!
I will fly away!
I will fly away!
Time for me to FLY!
It's time for me to open up my heart
and knock on heaven's door.
Time for me to live, Time for me to sing
Time for me to lay down all my worries
and I'll spread my wings.
Time for me to FLY!
The Earth can be a heavy ride
When the clouds are in your eyes
But I feel a calling
I will rise, I won't be falling.
And I'll escape the gravity,
And I'll reach my destiny
And I'll Fly Away!
It's time for me to fly, It's time for me to soar
It's time for me to open up my heart
and knock on heaven's door.
Time for me to live, Time for me to sing
Time for me to lay down all my worries
and I'll spread my wings.
Time for me to FLY!
Time for me to fly
The gates of heaven will open wide
I will be, I will rise
There won't be compromise
As I take to open the skies
It's time for me to fly, It's time for me to soar
It's time for me to open up my heart
and knock on heaven's door.
Time for me to live, Time for me to sing
Time for me to lay down all my worries
and I'll spread my wings.
I'm gonna fly,
I will fly away!
I will fly away!
I will fly away!
Time for me to FLY!
Copyright The Decorah Eagles 2012