By the end of February, two new eaglets were in residence in a loblolly pine tree on Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge. Last year, the nest produced three eaglets last year on Marylands Eastern Shore.
Now you can watch the eaglets in the Blackwater Refuge nest by logging onto the live Eagle Cam at http://www.friendsofblackwater.org/camcentral.html.
The Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge isnt the only place in the Refuge System where you can find bald eagles. There are over 150 national wildlife refuges providing valuable habitat for the American symbol. These areas are a pivotal reason that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is now considering removing the bald eagle from the Federal list of threatened and endangered species. The Service on February 13 reopened the public comment period on that proposal.
The bald eagle population in the lower 48 states has recovered from an estimated 417 nesting pairs in 1963 to the current estimated population of 7,066 breeding pairs.
"Across the country, national wildlife refuges can boast about their work on behalf of bald eagles," said National Wildlife Refuge Chief Bill Hartwig. "The successes are almost too plentiful to count."
Hartwig pointed to Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge in New York as just one example. In 1976, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation in cooperation with the Fish and Wildlife Service established the worlds first hacking program, which relocates immature bald eagles and allows them to learn to survive in the wild until they are ready to fly. Eagles bred at Patuxent Research Refuge in Maryland were among those released into Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge during the time when the population was at a precarious level.
The success at Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge has been stunning. Eagles have fledged every year but four years since 1987. For more information about Montezuma Refuge, go to http://www.fws.gov/r5mnwr/.
Here are a dozen more national wildlife refuges where Americans can see bald eagles:
Klamath Basin Refuges (Tulelake, California, http://klamathbasinrefuges.fws.gov) hosts the largest wintering concentration of bald eagles in the lower 48 states. Flying from as far away as the Northwest Territories in Canada and Glacier National Park, they quickly settle into a daily routine of waterfowl scavenging throughout the basins marshes by day and seeking shelter in large trees on nearby Bear Valley National Wildlife Refuge at night.
Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge (Basom, New York, http://iroquoisnwr.fws.gov) M idway between Buffalo and Rochester , the refuge counts eagle watching as one of its most popular activities. From February through August, visitors can view live television transmissions from an active bald eagle nest.
Mason Neck National Wildlife Refuge (Woodbridge, Virginia, http://refuges.fws.gov/profiles/index.cfm?id=51610) Eighteen miles south of Washington, DC, on the banks of the Potomac River, the national wildlife refuge national wildlife refuge
A national wildlife refuge is typically a contiguous area of land and water managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for the conservation and, where appropriate, restoration of fish, wildlife and plant resources and their habitats for the benefit of present and future generations of Americans.
Learn more about national wildlife refuge was established in 1969 for the protection of nesting, feeding and roosting habitat for bald eagles. From November through March, eagles are courting, rebuilding their nests and laying eggs.
Chassahowitzka National Wildlife Refuge (Crystal River, Florida, http://chassahowitzka.fws.gov/">) From October through April, many bald eagles winter and nest on the banks of the Chassahowitzka River. Visitors can take pontoon boat tours, rent canoes or bring their own boats to get views of adult and juvenile birds hunting for fish.
Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge: (Zimmerman, Minnesota, http://www.fws.gov/midwest/sherburne/) is a particularly good spot for eagle viewing. Hundreds of eagles are drawn to the refuge. Although their numbers are especially strong in the spring, some eagles are there almost 11 months each year.
Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge (Ridgefield, Washington, http://ridgefieldrefuges.fws.gov/">) is home to four nesting pair of bald eagles, but dozens more drop by in the winter, feeding on waterfowl and fish from nearby Columbia River. The birds are usually easily visible from December through March and sometimes beyond, depending on the Columbia River salmon runs.
Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge (Cambridge, Maryland, http://blackwater.fws.gov/">) The refuge annually winters more than 200 bald eagles, and supports the Atlantic Coasts largest nesting population of bald eagles north of Florida. The Nanticoke River, in the heart of the refuges Nanticoke Division, has been designated a Maryland Wild and Scenic River.
DeSoto National Wildlife Refuge (Missouri Valley, Iowa, http://www.fws.gov/midwest/desoto/) This refuge is an important wintering area for up to 120 bald eagles. Indeed, w ildlife surrounds visitors at the refuge. Although wild animals can be elusive, every bend, bush, and field provides a viewing opportunity. Visitors can explore Cottonwood/Grassland, Missouri Meander and Wood Duck nature trails.
Squaw Creek National Wildlife Refuge: (Mound City, Missouri, http://www.fws.gov/midwest/squawcreek/) Visitors can attend Bald Eagle Days in December, featuring live eagle shows and guided tours of the refuges 2,300 bald eagles. Eagle Overlook, a 1.5-mile round trip meanders into the refuges two largest wetlands. The refuge is a major stopover for waterfowl, with more than 500,000 birds in the fall.
Reelfoot National Wildlife Refuge (Union City, Tennessee, http://reelfoot.fws.gov/) hosts between 150 and 200 bald eagles from December through mid-January and sometimes through February, as the birds take advantage of the thousands of ducks and geese wintering on the 15,000-acre Reelfoot Lake.
North Platte National Wildlife Refuge: (Scottsbluff, Nebraska, http://crescentlake.fws.gov) Bald eagles have successfully nested on the refuge each year since 1992. The 1992 nest was the second successful nest in the state in more than 100 years. Created as a sanctuary for migrating birds, the refuge is open in December for Bald Eagle Viewing Days. Spotting scopes are set up along the lake for visitors to view the dozen or so bald eagles that take advantage of the masses of migrating birds.
Kenai National Wildlife Refuge: (Soldotna, Alaska, http://kenai.fws.gov) With a statewide population of between 50,000 and 70,000 bald eagles, much of Alaska is eagle country. In fact, visitors are likely to see these majestic birds anywhere in the coastal south-central or southeastern portions of the state, including downtown Anchorage. For a special eagle-viewing experience, try floating through the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge in June or early July when the mighty king salmon return to their birth waters to spawn. Visitors will see hunting birds hovering high overhead, and both mature and immature eagles perched in trees lining the banks above this world-class fishery.
For a map of national wildlife refuges with eagles, visit http://library.fws.gov/Pubs3/baldeagle_refuges.pdf
