News: Eagles

[Jazzerkins]

This article was in the Free Press today -
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/arts-and-life/life/faith/us-agency-agrees-to-allow-american-indian-tribe-to-kill-eagles-for-religious-purposes-142532705.html

I have never heard of Aboriginal peoples killing bald eagles as part of their "culture".  All my life I have been taught that Aboriginal peoples respected all nature and did nothing to harm animals, birds, etc.  I don't believe it is right to kill bald or golden eagles or any other living thing and call it "culture".

[RCF]

Perhaps he will be in hot water soon. 

A very large fine may suffice, but it doesn't put the tree back.

[bcbird]

Interesting article, RCF.   How sad it must have been to see the eagle pair circling in vain above their fallen nest tree.

That property owner sounds fairly unrepentant.  "There seems to be quite a little upheaval there doesn't there," he said. "I'm under advisement to have no comment." 

The article goes on to say:
"Section 34 of the BC Wildlife Act states that "a person commits an offence if they possess, take, injure, molest or destroy the nest of an eagle." A first conviction on a Wildlife Act violation can bring a fine of up to $100,000, one year in prison, or both."

Perhaps he will be in hot water soon. 

[RCF]

Some people just don't follow the rules or care about them  

Registered eagle tree falls to a chain saw

http://www.canada.com/Registered+eagle+tree+falls+chain/6263134/story.html

[Kinderchick]

What an amazing rescue! But very sad to read that the eagle could not be saved.

[bcbird]

Thanks, RCF, for posting that followup article.
 
Though the story has a sad ending, I bet that experience of being with the bald eagle will never be forgotten by those fishermen.
The expression on the face of the fellow cradling the eagle, and the wonder and amazement in describing its size, are reminders of the majesty of these raptors.

[Jazzerkins]

How very sad.  Nature can be so cruel sometimes.

[GCG]

  

[RCF]

From the Pacific Northwest Raptors Facebook page. They have just posted this sad update:

Some of you may have heard of the eagle rescue by local fisherman yesterday. They did a great job rescuing an injured eagle on the Cowichan River from a boat! Gill, from PNWRaptors, went to meet them as they arrived on land. This morning the eagle was taken to the vet and had x-rays done. Unfortunately the wing break was too close to the joint to be pinned, and the eagle was euthanized. We are all feeling very sad, as it was obvious the eagle was an older adult that likely had a partner.

http://www2.canada.com/cowichanvalleycitizen/news/story.html?id=81e1112e-6b2f-4c1e-9ca6-350caf4504fb

[GCG]

  An absolutely amazing rescue of this majestic eagle. These men remained diligent until they safely captured the eagle. They were in the right place at the right time. Their pride in their task is the pride we feel for them. 

[RCF]

Rescuing a Bald Eagle on the Cowichan River

Uploaded by SteelheadVanIsl on Jan 16, 2012
During a Steelhead fishing trip down the Cowichan River we encountered an injured eagle that we rescued and gave to the raptor society in Duncan BC.

http://youtu.be/e086Gjp1_cw

[The Peregrine Chick]

The title is technically correct but a bit misleading - no idea if that was intentional or unintentional ..

Feds propose allowing wind-farm developer to kill golden eagles
by James Eng, msnbc.com


Shamil Zhumatov / Reuters

The federal government is proposing to grant a first-of-its-kind permit that would allow the developer of a central Oregon wind-power project to legally kill golden eagles, a regulatory move being closely watched by conservationists.

The Interior Department’s Fish and Wildlife Service on Tuesday released a draft environmental assessment that would allow West Butte Wind Power LLC to kill as many as three protected golden eagles over five years if the company fulfills its conservation commitments.

It’s the first eagle “take permit” application to be received and acted on by U.S. Fish and Wildlife under the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act. (“Take” means to kill, harass or disturb the birds, their nests or their eggs.)

The legislation, enacted in 1940, prohibits anyone from killing or disturbing any bald or golden eagles without a permit from the Interior Department.

Regulations adopted in 2009 enabled the agency to authorize, for the first time, the “take” of eagles for activities that are otherwise lawful but that result in either disturbance or death. In this case "taking" would be the killing of eagles hit by the wind turbines' huge blades.

Public comments on the draft environmental assessment of the Wind Butte project will be accepted until Feb. 2.

The permit, if ultimately issued, stipulates that there must be no net loss to breeding populations of golden eagles from the wind farm project. That means for every protected bird permitted killed, developers must contribute to conservation efforts for breeding them.

“Our goal is to maintain stable or increasing populations of eagles protected under the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act," said Chris McKay, assistant regional director for Migratory Birds and State Programs in the Fish and Wildlife Service's Pacific Region.

"Regulations under the Act allow us to issue permits for activities that are likely to take eagles provided the activity is otherwise lawful and the taking is not the purpose of that activity, the take is unavoidable even though advanced conservation practices are being implemented, and the take is compatible with eagle preservation," McKay said in a press release.

California-based West Butte Wind Power LLC is proposing to build a 104-megawatt wind energy generation facility on ranchland in Oregon’s Deschutes and Crook counties, consisting of up to 52 wind turbines. Electricity generated by the project could power as many as 50,000 homes.

Conservation groups expressed cautious optimism at the government’s proposal to award the eagle take permit.

“This is a type of project where it’s appropriate for them to issue this kind of permit,” said Liz Nysson, energy policy coordinator with the Oregon Natural Desert Association She noted that only a small number of golden eagles are believed to be in and around the area where the wind turbines will be built.

“I say ‘cautious optimism’ because we fear that the agency is going to go forward and start issuing these permits … for a multitude of golden eagles every year, and that would be a bad use of the policy,” Nysson said.

It's not mandatory for wind-power projects to apply for the eagle "take" permits.

Kelly Fuller, wind campaign coordinator for the American Bird Conservancy, praised West Butte for being the first company to apply for one. She described the latest development as “precedent-setting,” according to the Governors’ Wind Energy Coalition, a bipartisan group of the nation’s governors dedicated to expanding the development of wind energy.

Fuller said the eagle permit process gives conservationists more opportunity to participate in the development process.

She said the conservancy group will ask Fish and Wildlife to extend its public comment period an additional 30 days beyond the Feb.  2 deadline, according to the Wind Energy Coalition.


Original news article: http://usnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/01/04/9952873-feds-propose-allowing-wind-farm-developer-to-kill-golden-eagles

[Kinderchick]

And I missed it again! I was so tired last evening that I went to bed early and completely forgot about recording it.

[susha]

I just set the PVR to record it!  Thanks Irenekl!  Now I'll be able to enjoy the entire program

[Kinderchick]

If you missed it......The NATURE episode on the Jungle Eagle airs again tonight on PBS at 1:00am (ch.3).  Technically that would be Friday, November 11th 1:00am...

Thank you, irenekl! I'm going to try to tape it so I can watch it sometime tomorrow.