Date: 3/31/25 4:31 pm From: jerry Kruth <00000005ead0dac6-dmarc-request...> Subject: Bald Eagles at Moraine last Saturday - Bartramian Audubon
Linda and I made a quick visit to the Bear Run corner of Moraine State Park last Saturday. We were checking the Tree Swallow nestboxes at the end of the road, and out in the lake. A few Bufflehead flew by and disappeared. Overhead, a Bald Eagle showed up from the south and cruised over, circling several times, then headed west. Near the nestbox poles, there were already several TS floating around. I fancied they might have been here last year; a pity no one to band them (sigh!). I hope they will stay and nest.
We returned back down to the boat launch to scope if the last of the venerable old snags down in the corner had survived the winter's ice. At one time, several years back, with four of her sisters, they held more than fifty nestboxes, with usually about half of them occupied, so we created a Tree Swallow colony there. Eventually, the others have gradually succumbed. The Last One was still standing, so we should have that for yet another nesting season.
(AT THIS TIME I'D LIKE TO THANK THE MSP STAFF AND MANAGER(S) FOR THEIR FINE SUPPORT OVER THE YEARS FOR THESE BARTRAMIAN AUDUBON ENDEAVORS).
I looked to my right, along the water's edge, and there in shallow water, sat these two large brown birds with very white heads?! I watched them for a considerable time without discerning any movement, so thought, could they be decoys of some kind?
I finally saw movement on the right one. It eventually flew off and into "our" snag. The other remained, and I thought maybe it was snagged on some careless (and deadly) old fishing line. But eventually he also flew into the snag, so we had a charming view of these two magnificent birds hanging out in "our" tree. Unfortunately, our small phone cameras couldn't make up the distance, so we'll keep the image in our heads.
On the way out we stopped to check several nestboxes. I cleaned out the old mousenests; time for them to move to summer quarters.
I'm also questioning the wisdom/efficacy of cleaning out old bluebird (or TS) nests. I have heard various postulates on whether to "clean-out," or "let be?"
I have several times witnessed these horrible bugs swarming dead nestlings, or ants running amuk, and always evict them, but to clean out intact nests? I'D VERY MUCH LIKE TO HEAR FROM ANYONE WITH EXPERIENCE OR INFORMATION THAT CARRIES A CONCLUSION?
