San Bernardino Mountains
Winter Eagle Count Saturday
The live webcam placed
on a Bald Eagles nest at Big Bear Lake Thursday February 7th morning
showed one Bald Eagle jump onto the back of another for a few seconds. While it
may have looked like rambunctious play, it was actually mating, or at least an
attempt.
"When the underside of his tail went under her
tail for a split second, that was the mating," explained U.S. Forest Service Biologist Robin
Eliason. "While this attempt may
have not been successful, other mating attempts, including ones
off-camera, may result in fertilization. This pair has been exhibiting mating
and bonding behavior lately, which suggests egg- laying may be in the very near
future."
Last year, two eggs were laid at the nest and both hatched live online. Later in the winter, however,
one eaglet did not survive a winter storm.
The public has a
chance to help conserve the local bald eagle population by participating at
this month's winter bald eagle count on Saturday February 9th,
which takes place at five locations across the Inland Empire in collaboration
with California State Parks. This year is the 40th anniversary of the Eagle Winter Counts, which takes place
once a month, December through March 2019.
Public invited Saturday
Winter Eagle Counts
No reservations are
needed; just show up at a designated location at the start time with binoculars
and a way to keep time. And don’t forget to dress for winter weather! Time and
location details are below.
Important
>> With the storm in the forecast and deep
snow already present in Lake Arrowhead and Big Bear Lake, it is possible the
count at these locations will be canceled.
See the
contact info below for how to check on those sites. A determination will
be made Friday afternoon.
Big Bear Lake Friday,
February 8th 4:00 P.M.
Due to the incoming storm and the
already-limited parking conditions prompted by storms earlier this week, the
Big Bear and Lake Arrowhead counts have been canceled. The counts at Lake
Hemet, Silverwood Lake and Lake Perris are still scheduled.
Additionally, the 11:00 A.M. Bald
Eagle talk at the Big Bear Discovery Center is still scheduled. Thank you
Contact Robin
Eliason (reliason@fs.fed.us or 909-382-2832) for more information.
Lake Arrowhead/Lake
Gregory area participants
will meet at 8:00 A.M. at the Skyforest Work Center on State Route 18 for
orientation. Contact Robin Eliason (reliason@fs.fed.us or 909-382-2832) for more information. Please call
909-382-2832 for cancelation due to winter weather conditions – an outgoing message will be left by 6:00 P.M., Friday, February 8th, the evening before of the count, if
it has to be canceled due to snow.
Silverwood
Lake State Recreation Area
participants should plan to meet at the Silverwood Lake’s park office on
Cleghorn Rd. (west of State Route
138) at 8:00 A.M. for orientation. Contact Mark Wright for
more information about volunteering or taking an Eagle tour (760-389-2303
between 8:00 A.M. and 4:00 P.M.;
or email: mark.wright@parks.ca.gov).
Lake Hemet
participants should plan
on meeting at the Lake Hemet Grocery Store at 8:30 A.M. for orientation.
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.
For Bald Eagle viewing
any time of the day, check out the live feed of the Big Bear Lake Bald
Eagles nest. The webcam is provided by the Friends of the Big Bear Valley and can be viewed at the
Institute for Wildlife Studies’ website or on YouTube.
The webcam monitors a
nest on national forest lands near Big Bear Lake North Shore. The area
around the nest is closed to all public entry until June 22, 2019.
The closure encompasses Grout Bay Picnic Area, Grays Peak Trail and surrounding
National Forest areas. No entry, including snow play on the edges of the area,
is allowed. Bald Eagles during nesting season are sensitive to human
interference and may abandon nesting activities if feeling threatened.
Those who can’t make
the counts can still try to see bald eagles around our local lakes this Winter.
Contact the Big Bear Discovery Center
(909-382-2790) or the San Jacinto Ranger
Station in Idyllwild (909-382-2921) for Eagle watching tips and etiquette
on the San Bernardino National Forest.
