Spotted
by Eagle-Eyed Volunteers
U.S. Forest Service
Pacific Southwest Region
San Bernardino National Forest
San Bernardino Mountains
Saturday
December 10th, the first Bald Eagle Count of Winter 2016 was conducted
by local Federal and State biologists and citizen scientists around several
lakes in the Southern California.
Several dozen Bald Eagles typically spend their winter vacations around
Southern California’s lakes, adding to a few resident nesting Bald Eagles that
stay year-round.
A
total of eleven Bald Eagles (7 adults and 4 sub-adults/juveniles) were observed
by 101 eagle-eyed observers during the 1-hour count period on Saturday
morning. Bald Eagles acquire the full
white head and tail in their 5th year. Until then, they have different plumages of
brown and white.
Ken
Kietzer (Senior Environmental Scientist at Lake Perris State Recreation Area)
reported two adult Bald Eagles observed by 28 people. Fifteen participants watched the pair of adults
at Lake Hemet. Kathy Williams from
Silverwood State Recreation Area reported that a beautiful outing was had by
their 12 Eagle counters but, unfortunately no Eagles showed up.
Six
participants scanned the skies at Lake Arrowhead, spotting two adult Bald
Eagles. Forty participants helped with the census at Big Bear Lake where 5 Bald
Eagles (1 adult and 4 sub-adults) were counted.
The
Forest Service and State Recreation Count Coordinators, thank those
participants for their dedication in getting up early and participating in the
Eagle Censuses this Winter. The success
of the Eagle Counts is entirely dependent on the citizen scientists!
Signing
up ahead of time is unnecessary; just show up at the designated time and
location, dress warmly, bring binoculars and a watch. Counting Bald Eagles is fun, easy, and only
takes a couple of hours. Participants
meet at 8:00 A.M. (or 8:30 A.M. for Lake Hemet) for coordination and
instructions. The Count Coordinators will
be at their observation sites from 9:00 A.M. until 10:00 A.M. and then return
to turn-in the observation forms.
* Big Bear
Lake
area participants meet at 8:00 A.M. at the Forest Service Big Bear Discovery
Center on North Shore Drive for orientation.
Contact
Robin Eliason (reliason@fs.fed.us
or 909-382-2832) for more information. Please
call 909-382-2832 for cancellation due to Winter weather conditions. If the count has to be canceled due to
mountain road/winter conditions, an outgoing message will be left by 6:30 A.M.
on the morning of the count.
Contact
the Discovery Center (909-382-2790) for information about Eagle Celebrations.
There will also be a free slideshow about Bald Eagles at 11:00 A.M. after the
counts.
* Lake
Arrowhead/Lake Gregory participants meet at 8:00 A.M. at the Skyforest Ranger
Station for orientation.
Contact
Robin Eliason (reliason@fs.fed.us
or 909-382-2832) for more information. Please call 909-382-2832 for cancellation
due to winter weather conditions. If the
count has to be canceled due to mountain road/winter conditions, an outgoing
message will be left by 6:30 A.M. on the morning of the count.
* Silverwood
Lake State Recreation Area participants should plan to meet at the Visitor
Center at 8:00 A.M. for orientation.
Contact
Kathy Williams or Mark Wright for more information about volunteering or taking
a Bald Eagle tour (760-389-2303 between 8:00 A.M. and 4:00 P.M.; or email: khwilliams@parks.ca.gov
).
* Lake Hemet participants should plan
on meeting at the Lake Hemet Grocery Store at 8:30 A.M. for orientation.
Contact Ann Bowers (annbowers@fs.fed.us or
909-382-2935) for more information.
* Lake
Perris State Recreation Area participants should plan to meet at the Lake
Perris Regional Indian Museum at 8:00 A.M. for orientation. For more
information call Lake Perris SRA at 951-940-5600 or the Lake Perris Regional
Indian Museum at 951-940-5657.