A survey of eagles at Lake Mead National Recreation Area in Nevada produced a count of 113 bald eagles, which was higher than last year's count but far from the 178 tallied five years ago.
Survey teams set out at dawn on eight different boats throughout the NRA on January 12 to survey the local bald eagle population on lakes Mead and Mohave. The National Park Service, Nevada Department of Wildlife, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, Bureau of Land Management and volunteers all joined forces for the survey in the park.
The survey was held as part of national effort to track populations and trend counts for bald eagles. The nationwide survey has been tracking bald eagles since 1979, and only around 8 percent of the surveys conducted nationally are water-based.
"I really like that this survey gets so many people and organizations to work together," said Julia Muller, Lake Mead NRA fishery biologist, who coordinated this year's survey for Lake Mead. "I'm a fish biologist so my expertise is in fisheries, so I really appreciate the fact that I get to at least once a year jump into a different field and be an ornithologist for a day."
The boats set out on the water going between six to 12 miles-per-hour, scanning the shoreline looking for bald eagles and other raptor species. Bald eagles migrate from the north and can traditionally be spotted at Lake Mead NRA from late-November to March, according to a park release.
There were 14 more eagles spotted this year compared to last January's count, but numbers are down from the 178 spotted five years ag, the release said, adding that the count may be lower, in part, because crews can't go as far north in the Overton Arm, due to lower lake elevations.
The bald eagle was removed from the federal list of threatened and endangered species August 9, 2007. The bald eagle continues to flourish across the nation.
The teams also tracked sightings of other raptors. Teams spotted three golden eagles, 35 harriers, 18 red tail hawks, nine peregrine falcons, one osprey, one Cooper's hawk and seven unknown raptors.
Theresa Thom, an aquatic ecologist at Lake Mead NRA, who was the crew lead for the Boulder Basin route, said that the eagle survey was an amazing experience.
"We had the opportunity to be on Lake Mead on a sunny and calm day. The most exciting thing was to be part of a larger team across the park, recording data on eagles and other raptors, as well as being part of a nationwide effort," she said. "It was an amazing day."
Comments
Before anyone gets too confident about these eagles, you should know that the environs of the Lake Mead National Recreation just east of Searchlight, Nevada, have been targeted for a massive wind farm. A poor environmental impact statement has temporarily stalled it, but you know what they say about patience and money. Here is the latest from the Desert Protective Council:
http://dpcinc.org/index.php/site/article/call_to_action_the_nevada_deser...
I am disappointed to hear about the proposed wind farm in Searchlight. I was stationed at Cottonwood Cove on Lake Mojave from 1974 to 1977 and had the pleasure of observing Golden Eagles at a nearby nesting site. They are incredible to watch, especially when they stoop from great heights before landing on their nest. I hate to think that these birds might be in peril due to the turbine blades. That area is also rich in other bird species that live there or migrate through.