EAGLES SOAR AT TUTTLE CREEK, OTHER KANSAS RESERVOIRS

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December 29, 2011

Wintering bald eagles a favorite of Kansas naturalists

PRATT — With the arrival of winter, the eagles have landed near many eastern Kansas reservoirs. Bald eagles have been migrating south, offering outdoor enthusiasts the opportunity to see the national bird in its native habitat. To enhance this opportunity, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at Tuttle Creek Reservoir has scheduled its annual Eagle Day 2012 for Saturday, Jan. 7, beginning at 9 a.m.

The program is free and open to the public. All participants are asked to meet at 9 a.m. in the large assembly room at the Manhattan Fire Station, 2000 Denison (the corner of Denison and Kimball) in Manhattan. At that time, Steve Walhe, a biologist with the U.S. Army Ft. Riley Conservation Office, will offer a short presentation on the nesting habits of bald eagles in Kansas. Vanessa Avara, assistant director of the Milford Nature Center, will then feature several live raptors in her discussion of eagles and other birds of prey.

Following the two presentations at the fire station, members of the Northern Flint Hills Audubon Society will take participants on a bus tour through areas near Tuttle Creek Lake, with the goal of watching bald eagles in the wild. All participants should dress appropriately for the weather and bring binoculars, spotting scopes, and cameras.

For more information on this event, phone Steve Prockish at the Corps of Engineers office, 785-539-8511 ext. 3167.

Milford Reservoir Eagle Day will begin at 9 a.m. on Jan. 14 and will include viewing tours and live eagle programs.

Other Eagle Days include:

• Jan. 15 — F.L. Schlagle Library (on Wyandotte Lake);
• Lawrence — Jan. 21 — Jayhawk Audubon's 2012 Kaw Valley Eagles Day;
• Jan. 28 — Perry Reservoir; and
• Jan. 28 and Feb. 4 —Chaplin Nature Center, Wichita.

Other Eagle Days will be held throughout Kansas. Watch the Events Calendar on KDWPT’s website www.kdwpt.state.ks.us or check the Natural Kansas website, www.naturalkansas.org. To learn more about eagles and other raptors, visit the Great Plains Nature Center's "Raptor's Roost," www.gpnc.org/raptors.htm.

GOVERNOR PROCLAIMS JUNE 20 AMERICAN EAGLE DAY IN KANSAS

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June 20 proclamation presentation will recognize the bald eagle success story

TOPEKA — Governor Sam Brownback has declared Monday, June 20, as American Eagle Day in Kansas in recognition of the American bald eagle and its growing population in the Sunflower State. Brownback will present a signed proclamation to representatives of the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks on June 20 during a 10:30 a.m. ceremony at the Great Plains Nature Center, 6232 E 29th Street North (at the intersection of Woodlawn and 29th Street North), in Wichita. The public is invited to attend and admission is free. Naturalists from the Prairie Park Nature Center in Lawrence will be on hand with a live bald eagle.

According to Brownback, “The American bald eagle is a real conservation success story and one in which Kansas has played an important role. Bald eagles have become increasingly common in Kansas thanks to the efforts of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks; and the support of many state conservation organizations and dedicated individuals.”

In Kansas, the numbers of eaglets hatched annually has increased from two eaglets in one nest in 1989 — at Clinton Reservoir — to 69 eaglets from 34 nests in 2010. Most of the nest sites are in eastern and central Kansas.

Bald eagles typically nest near water in large trees and add material to the nest and use it in subsequent years. Usually, two eggs are laid, and it takes the young four to five years to develop adult plumage. Migrant eagles from the north often congregate around Kansas lakes, streams, and wetlands during the winter. They feed primarily on fish, waterfowl, mammals, and carrion.

Bald eagles became the national symbol in 1782, but the population declined sharply due habitat loss as human populations spread, widespread poaching, and DDT use after World War II. DDT accumulated in the eagles and caused the females to lay weak-shelled eggs, which broke during incubation.

By the 1970’s the population had dropped to about 2,000 birds with only 400 nesting pairs in the lower 48 states. After DDT was banned in 1972, concerted conservation efforts reversed the decline, and the eagle’s population has been slowly increasing. They are no longer listed as threatened or endangered under the federal Endangered Species Act or as threatened in Kansas. They’re still protected under two other federal Acts that protect bald and golden eagles, and migratory birds.

NATIONAL SYMBOL BRIGHTENS SUNFLOWER STATE WINTER

Eagle Days organized to educate participants about state’s largest raptor
PRATT — Perhaps nothing piques the interests of both novice and seasoned Kansas bird watchers more than the sight of the nation’s symbol, the bald eagle. While some bald eagles nest in Kansas, numbers often surge during January and February, providing excellent opportunities to observe these magnificent raptors. To improve bald eagle viewing opportunities, the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) — in cooperation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and local Audubon chapters — has scheduled a number of "Eagle Days" across the state.
The Tuttle Creek 2011 Eagle Day will be held Jan. 8 from 9 a.m. until approximately noon. The program is free and open to the public. Participants will meet at in the large assembly room at the Manhattan Fire station, 2000 Denison (the corner of Denison and Kimball) in Manhattan. At that time, Dan Mulhern, biologist with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, will offer a short presentation on the nesting habits of bald eagles in Kansas. Pat Silovsky, director of KDWP’s Milford Nature Center, will then display several live raptors in her discussion of eagles and other birds of prey.
Following the two presentations at the fire station, members of the Northern Flint Hills Audubon Society will take participants on a bus tour through the area downstream of Tuttle Creek Dam, with the goal of watching bald eagles in the wild.
All participants should dress appropriately for the weather. Everyone is encouraged to bring binoculars, spotting scopes, and cameras. Sponsors of the bus service include the Northern Flint Hills Audubon Society and the Manhattan Convention and Visitors Bureau. For more information, phone Steve Prockish at 785-539-8511, ext. 3167.
Similar Eagle Days events are scheduled at the following locations:

• F.L. Schlagle Library on Wyandotte Lake on Jan. 15, phone 913-299-2384;
• Milford Reservoir on Jan. 15-16, phone 785-238-5323;
• Lawrence Free State High School, 6th and Wakarusa in Lawrence, on Jan. 23, phone 785-843-7665; and
• Chaplin Nature Center, 27814 27th Drive in Arkansas City, on Jan. 29 and Feb. 5, phone 316-442-4233.

KDWP staff are reporting eagles at El Dorado State Park, but no events are scheduled. Eagles frequent several large reservoirs in eastern Kansas, and other Eagle Days may be scheduled in the near future. For more information, contact the nearest office of the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks.

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