Date: 10/2/24 2:26 pm From: MJ Keeler <maryjane.keeler...> Subject: Re: [MASSBIRD] GOOD NEWS. Juvenile Arlington Bald Eagle 91/C Released Today.
Excellent news, thank you Paul.
On Wed, Oct 2, 2024 at 4:54 PM PAUL ROBERTS <phawk254...> wrote:
> Hi,
> Early this afternoon juvenile Bald Eagle 91/C from the Mystic Lakes in
> Arlington, Mass. was released by Mass Wildlife following two months
> recovery from a broken wing in late July. 91/C recently had been held in a
> large flight barn at the Tufts Wildlife Clinic in Grafton for weeks as she
> healed and eventually learned to fly (again). She had company, a juvenile
> male from the Haverhill area (banded at Grafton as 92/C) who had been
> recovered entangled in fishing line. The two birds became buddies, learning
> to fly and "capture" dead prey together. Today they were released together
> on the Merrimack River in Chelmsford.
> 92/C, the newly banded male, was released first and did a tight half
> circle before landing in a tree just behind his "cage." 91/C was then
> released and flew east towards the river, just missing some baseball
> netting and landing on a large, branch low in a mature, deciduous tree. She
> remained there for about a half hour before she flew west, soaring up
> gradually before she headed north. It was exciting and moving to see her
> doing her first real soaring in her short life.
> The birds might well return to their natal areas sooner or later, or
> they might hang out together for a while, looking for food. Just before
> 91/C was released, I spotted a juvenile Bald Eagle flying west up the
> river. Recently fledged eagles tend to look for other eagles because they
> might know where there is free food, or at least food. Juveniles are often
> injured or killed because they tend to look for easy meals, such as
> roadkill along highways, or rats suffering from rodenticide. It is hoped
> they will take advantage of the Merrimack to look for fish and ducks,
> developing their hunting skills while it is still relatively warm.
> It was thought beneficial to release the two kids together. Releasing
> them or just 91/C in Arlington might be riskier because of the rodenticide
> issue and the fact that 91/C's two older siblings had died unexplained
> deaths shortly after she fledged. (There is no firm evidence that
> rodenticide was a factor in those deaths, but several other eagles in
> Arlington had been the victims of rodenticide poisoning.) Releasing 92/C or
> both birds on the lower Merrimack would be putting them in a fairly dense
> eagle population, whereas the Chelmsford area and points west and north
> seem to offer more opportunities for them.
> Meanwhile, 91/C's parents, FAE and KZ, have been spending minimal
> time lately around the Mystic Lakes. KZ has been seen in Wakefield and
> possibly Stoneham. Both adults are still molting and right now and have no
> obligations other than to protect their territorial rights on the lakes.
> Strangely, we have not seen any adult visitors intruding on the lakes
> despite a heavy Bald Eagle migration now. We've had at least brief visits
> by two juveniles and 1 year-old-bird. Check out any juveniles for band 91/C
> or 92/C. We'd expect to see the adults working on the nest more as foliage
> season draws to a close
> The lakes have been pretty quiet lately, with highlights being a
> passing Caspian Tern (my first on the lakes) several days ago, and two days
> ago we had a Large V of 16 Great Blue Herons flying south fairly high.
>
> Best,
> Paul
>
> Paul M. Roberts
> Medford, MA
> <phawk254...>
>
