[NatureNS] re EAGLE WATCH for 2012 (long, sorry)

To: NatureNS <naturens@chebucto.ns.ca>
Cc: Richard Hennigar <hennigar@xcountry.tv>
From: "James W. Wolford" <jimwolford@eastlink.ca>
Date: Fri, 27 Jan 2012 15:42:56 -0400
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JAN. 27, 2012 - This continuing yo-yo weather is a strange way to  
begin the 21st Annual Eagle Watch (20th anniversary of start in  
1992).  Last night the predicted low temp. was -9 C. (it was -4 C. in  
mid-morning).  And the predicted high temp. for today is +9 C. with  
today having snow and then freezing rain and then rain, all "at times  
heavy".

Hopefully those tough bald eagles and other scavenger birds don't  
mind such changeable weather.  I drove to Sheffield Mills in late  
morning and got to the north end of Middle Dyke Road at 11:20 a.m.,  
when there were 2 photographers at the large field where the chicken  
carcasses are provided, and, mostly perched in the peripheral trees,  
about 20+ bald eagles.  Near the dead chickens were a couple of great  
black-backed gulls, which is the only species of gull usually seen at  
the feeding sites (along with ravens and crows often).  An hour later  
there were about 30+ bald eagles there, still mostly perched, and  
more photographers.

Among the perched eagles was a very large bird that was coloured  
weirdly underneath, with a beige breast area and then reddish brown  
on the belly.  Tuma Young & Nick Honig thought they had spotted a new  
species, but it was just one of the endless variations that immature  
bald eagles show during the first three years, on their way to  
getting the white heads and tails of adults.  Remember too that the  
biggest eagles are females, with males averaging about a kilogram  
less, and this is for all ages after they leave the nest as fledglings.

Knowing when the eagles are fed is useful info', but it is still up  
to the eagles and the other species as to when the action happens re  
flying and swooping and grabbing food, or landing on the ground, and  
robbing each other of their treasures.  In the trees often ravens  
(and crows) perch near the feeding eagles and no doubt get falling  
scraps that way.

All winter the eagles are fed every day in the morning sometime after  
8-9 a.m., and during the Eagle Watch Weekends (Jan. 28-29 and Feb.  
4-5) there are often extra feedings later in the day.

For info' on Eagle Watch activities, like breakfasts, special  
lectures/showings, displays & crafts & photo contests, video viewing,  
community meals in Canard & Kingsport, etc., check out the Web site  
at www.eaglens.ca .

I will be upstairs in the Community Hall on Black Hole Rd. during  
parts of the mornings on the two weekends (unless I am chowing down  
on the pancakes & sausage breakfast with blueberry sauce or maple  
syrup, plus muffins & juice & coffee/tea & music downstairs) and  
until mid-afternoon too.  (But I reserve the right to do occasional  
drives for Quirks & Quarks and to look for eagles.)

Please introduce yourself to me, even if you think I know you, and we  
can trade tall tales about what people have been seeing or not seeing  
lately.

Finally, be aware that the area to search in your cars is much larger  
than what the hand-out map shows.  Check out Avonport, the whole  
length of the Gaspereau Valley, Grand Pre area, southwest of White  
Rock, Kentville rail trail east from downtown, entire Cornwallis  
River Valley to Wolfville & Port Williams, northeast of Kentville to  
Canard areas and Sheffield Mills, Canning to Medford & Kingsport, and  
south from there through Habitant and Canard River Valleys.

And finally finally, be aware that most of the poultry producers who  
put out dead chickens are on an eight-week cycle if they are  
producers of broilers.  It takes about six weeks to grow a broiler to  
market-size (every day there are casualties that are collected and  
offered to the eagles etc.), and then the barns are empty and cleaned  
for about two weeks.  And the various producers are not synchronized,  
so that only the "eagle grapevine" can tell you who has the biggest  
carcasses to put out from week to week -- maybe/probably this is a  
big reason why eagles are social and communal in their roosting  
habits overnight?

Please let everyone know where you found good numbers of eagles on  
the two upcoming weekends.

Cheers from Jim in Wolfville.
--Apple-Mail-3--653658323
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<html><body style=3D"word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; =
-webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; =
margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><b><div =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; "><font face=3D"Helvetica" size=3D"3" style=3D"font: =
12.0px Helvetica"><b>JAN. 27, 2012 </b>- This continuing <b>yo-yo =
weather</b> is a strange way to begin the <b>21st Annual Eagle Watch =
(20th anniversary of start in 1992)</b>.&nbsp; Last night the predicted =
low temp. was -9 C. (it was -4 C. in mid-morning).&nbsp; And the =
predicted high temp. for today is +9 C. with today having snow and then =
freezing rain and then rain, all "at times heavy".</font></div><div =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; =
min-height: 14px; "><br></div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; =
margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><font =
face=3D"Helvetica" size=3D"3" style=3D"font: 12.0px Helvetica">Hopefully =
those tough bald eagles and other scavenger birds don't mind such =
changeable weather.&nbsp; I drove to <b>Sheffield Mills</b> in late =
morning and got to the north end of Middle Dyke Road at 11:20 a.m., when =
there were 2 photographers at the large field where the chicken =
carcasses are provided, and, mostly perched in the peripheral trees, =
about 20+<b> bald eagles</b>.&nbsp; Near the dead chickens were a couple =
of <b>great black-backed gulls</b>, which is the only species of gull =
usually seen at the feeding sites (along with <b>ravens and crows</b> =
often).&nbsp; An hour later there were about 30+ bald eagles there, =
still mostly perched, and more photographers. &nbsp;</font></div><div =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; =
min-height: 14px; "><br></div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; =
margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><font =
face=3D"Helvetica" size=3D"3" style=3D"font: 12.0px Helvetica"><b>Among =
the perched eagles was</b> a very large bird that was <b>coloured =
weirdly </b>underneath, with a beige breast area and then reddish brown =
on the belly.&nbsp; Tuma Young &amp; Nick Honig thought they had spotted =
a new species, but it was just one of the endless variations that =
immature bald eagles show during the first three years, on their way to =
getting the white heads and tails of adults.&nbsp; Remember too that the =
biggest eagles are females, with males averaging about a kilogram less, =
and this is for all ages after they leave the nest as =
fledglings.</font></div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: =
0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal =
12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; "><br></div><div =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; "><font face=3D"Helvetica" size=3D"3" style=3D"font: =
12.0px Helvetica">Knowing <b>when the eagles are fed</b> is useful =
info', but it is still up to the eagles and the other species as to when =
the action happens re flying and swooping and grabbing food, or landing =
on the ground, and robbing each other of their treasures.&nbsp; In the =
trees often ravens (and crows) perch near the feeding eagles and no =
doubt get falling scraps that way.</font></div><div style=3D"margin-top: =
0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: =
normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; =
"><br></div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; =
margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><font face=3D"Helvetica" =
size=3D"3" style=3D"font: 12.0px Helvetica">All winter the eagles are =
fed every day in the morning sometime after 8-9 a.m., and during the =
Eagle Watch Weekends (Jan. 28-29 and Feb. 4-5) there are often extra =
feedings later in the day.</font></div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; =
margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal =
normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; "><br></div><div =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; "><font face=3D"Helvetica" size=3D"3" style=3D"font: =
12.0px Helvetica"><b>For info' on Eagle Watch activities</b>, like =
breakfasts, special lectures/showings, displays &amp; crafts &amp; photo =
contests, video viewing, community meals in Canard &amp; Kingsport, =
etc., check out the Web site at <b>www.eaglens.ca</b> .</font></div><div =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; =
min-height: 14px; "><br></div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; =
margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><font =
face=3D"Helvetica" size=3D"3" style=3D"font: 12.0px Helvetica">I will be =
upstairs in the Community Hall on Black Hole Rd. during parts of the =
mornings on the two weekends (unless I am chowing down on the pancakes =
&amp; sausage breakfast with blueberry sauce or maple syrup, plus =
muffins &amp; juice &amp; coffee/tea &amp; music downstairs) and until =
mid-afternoon too.&nbsp; (But I reserve the right to do occasional =
drives for Quirks &amp; Quarks and to look for eagles.) =
&nbsp;</font></div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; =
margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal =
12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; "><br></div><div =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; "><font face=3D"Helvetica" size=3D"3" style=3D"font: =
12.0px Helvetica">Please introduce yourself to me, even if you think I =
know you, and we can trade tall tales about what people have been seeing =
or not seeing lately.</font></div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; =
margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal =
normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; "><br></div><div =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; "><font face=3D"Helvetica" size=3D"3" style=3D"font: =
12.0px Helvetica">Finally, be aware that the<b> area to search</b> in =
your cars is much larger than what the hand-out map shows.&nbsp; Check =
out Avonport, the whole length of the Gaspereau Valley, Grand Pre area, =
southwest of White Rock, Kentville rail trail east from downtown, entire =
Cornwallis River Valley to Wolfville &amp; Port Williams, northeast of =
Kentville to Canard areas and Sheffield Mills, Canning to Medford &amp; =
Kingsport, and south from there through Habitant and Canard River =
Valleys.</font></div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; =
margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal =
12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; "><br></div><div =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; "><font face=3D"Helvetica" size=3D"3" style=3D"font: =
12.0px Helvetica">And finally finally, be aware that most of the<b> =
poultry producers</b> who put out dead chickens are on an <b>eight-week =
cycle</b> if they are producers of broilers.&nbsp; It takes about six =
weeks to grow a broiler to market-size (every day there are casualties =
that are collected and offered to the eagles etc.), and then the barns =
are empty and cleaned for about two weeks.&nbsp; And the various =
producers are not synchronized, so that only the "eagle grapevine" can =
tell you who has the biggest carcasses to put out from week to week -- =
maybe/probably this is a big reason why eagles are social and communal =
in their roosting habits overnight?</font></div><div style=3D"margin-top: =
0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: =
normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; =
"><br></div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; =
margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><font face=3D"Helvetica" =
size=3D"3" style=3D"font: 12.0px Helvetica">Please let everyone know =
where you found good numbers of eagles on the two upcoming =
weekends.&nbsp;</font></div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: =
0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><font face=3D"Helvetica" =
size=3D"3" style=3D"font: 12.0px Helvetica"><br></font></div><div =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; "><font face=3D"Helvetica" size=3D"3" style=3D"font: =
12.0px Helvetica">Cheers from Jim in Wolfville.</font></div></b></div>
</body></html>=

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