Another Bald Eagle Success Story

"Eagle Back View" by Loree Johnson Photography. View from behind a bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) as it circles around on the hunt for fish. Photographed at the mouth of the Smith River, California. — “Eagle Back View”

Since the bald eagle was protected under the Endangered Species Preservation Act of 1966 and the Endangered Species Act in 1973, there have been many stories of successful recovery. The iconic birds are now prolific and under a conservation status of “least concern” according to the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature).

"Eagle in the Evening" by Loree Johnson Photography. Bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) in flight just before sunset. Photographed at Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge, California. — “Eagle in the Evening”

There are numerous individuals, agencies and organizations who have worked diligently over the years to preserve and protect bald eagles. One such organization is the Institute for Wildlife Studies. For decades, the IWS has mounted a herculean effort of restoring bald eagles to the Channel Islands off the California coast. I was the recipient of one of the rewards of their efforts this past January.

"Arizona Eagles" by Loree Johnson Photography. Thanks to concerted conservation efforts over decades, bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) populations are healthy and growing. This is the first pair seen on the Havasu National Wildlife Refuge in Arizona in five years. — “Arizona Eagles”

While birding at Havasu National Wildlife Refuge near Needles, California, I entered a sighting of two bald eagles into eBird. Immediately, I got a notification that this was an unusually high number for this species in the area at the time. Surprised by this, I decided to keep a close watch to see if I could spot the pair again. Over the course of 2 or 3 weeks, I saw both eagles two more times. They were roosting in the same snag each time and behaving as a mated pair. On one occasion, I managed to get a photo of the female of the pair close enough to identify her wing tags. The male was banded, but had no wing tags. I was unable to get a close enough photo to read his leg bands.

"Havasu Eagles" by Loree Johnson Photography. A pair of bald eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) have apparently decided to make their home in Havasu National Wildlife Refuge in Arizona for the 2019 breeding season. This is good news for the refuge, and the eagles. — “Havasu Eagles”

I reported the identifying information I had to https://reportband.gov and received information that she was one of the IWS tagged birds. Hatched and tagged in 2014, K40 (identified by her tag) was last spotted in Bremerton, Washington shortly after she fledged from a nest in the Seal Rocks area of Santa Catalina Island. I could not find any subsequent reports of sightings of this particular eagle until my sighting in January of 2019. How exciting to see her, not only alive and thriving, but with a potential mate apparently scouting for a nest site!

"Eagle Symmetry" by Loree Johnson Photography. Bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) flying straight at you with wings in perfect symmetry. Photographed near the Smith River Estuary in Northern California. — “Eagle Symmetry”

After doing some research online as well as contacting some local experts, I was unable to determine where or if the pair established a nest this year. I am, however, hopeful that if they didn’t, they will in 2020. In any case, this is surely another successful development in the IWS bald eagle conservation efforts that started nearly forty years ago! Those of us who enjoy the spectacle of these wondrous birds of prey are forever indebted to the dedicated conservationists who made their recovery possible.