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Show I ' - rl j t .'' . ... ,y j t v v s ' " ' ! V .k . ..... , v: s ; :- ' :.. - ft ' ; ... t ' u , j i 1 . BALD EAGLE. Majesty of national symbol bald i Eagle observing is excising By HarttWixom ; Venial Express Outdoors Writer 1 Many sportsmen never see a bald 15 eagle ir their lifetimes. But January is an excellent month to bundle up. get out, and study this proud, noble bird. Ditto for the golden eagle. - While the golden is not our national ''emblem, nor as majestic in ap-3 ap-3 pearance, observers are often overwhelmed over-whelmed by the sheer size of it, especially in flight. Like the adult bald, '4 it has a wing span over six feet, and is 'Actually more readily found in Utah ?: this time of year. I've watched many eagles of both species west 01 Lian Lane, e-pecianv ! the large cottonwood trees west of sYemon. Dozens of eagles winter in ihese trees. If you use binoculars you ftcan get a close look at them both 'roosting and resting, and occasionally iilapping off a high limb to look for abbits. Other counties recommended jy the Utah Div. Wildlife Resources for , .'eagle watching" include Rich, west Weber, Morgan and Summit. Check for them in the latter counties ..ikmg streams. They prefer higher -."Krches on or along the Weber, or other aters which attract small animals, as ellas fish. If you are "lucky" you mav 1 seen an eagle kill ducks and water birds ferhich they frequently focus on. If near al Tiarshes and lakes the eagles will look P:or sudden drawdowns which leave jc-arp and suckers stranded, e 1 Many raptors sighted now will have Immigrated from Yellowstone or Glacier Rational Parks. It is not known how-many how-many are located in Utah right now, but 362 of them were counted in 1980, and 358 in 1979. A count just being completed, com-pleted, but not yet tallied, should show about the same number for 1982, UD-WR UD-WR officials figure. You can help by reporting any you see in the "out-of-vay" places that the UDWR might have missed. For further information 3n eagle watching-counting, contact the Saptor Society, 10 Exchange PI., Salt Uke City, Utah 84111. i At close range there is not much hance you could mistake the white-j white-j downed head of a bald for anything j ise,or the golden-brown plummage of ' he other eagle. But at a distance it is ssible to mistake large ravens for ,oung eagles. If you can get close 'nough to observe coloring, however, -ou won't likely confuse them. eagle is shown here. Eagles are also much more likely to roost high, and soar high, with ravens frequently on or near the ground. The eagle also has a more magnificent appearance better it for national bird that Ben Franklin's proposed turkey. Rabbit hunters and others out with firearms can be fined for even shooting in the direction of eagles, so gunners should stay away from the big birds. Actually, there are few if any birds which can be legally killed nowadays, since a treaty with Mexico forbids species once shot on sight in Utah, including magpies and crow s. There is absolutely no reason to shoot anv hawk ali do far more good in removing mice, and otner pests, than harming man in any way. Eagles are not w ithout their hazards to men. Around farms and ranches they are known to whisk away chickens, lambs, and some reports claim even newly-born calves. In some part of Wyoming and Montana, eagles have been slaughtered as predators, including in-cluding wholesale shooting by helicopters. But they are still protected, protec-ted, and in the case of the national symbol bald, which even draw offenders of-fenders a jail term. If you were to examine the talons of either eagle, you see readily that their claws are capable of grasping a fairly good-sized critter. Falcons frequently chase (and catch) pheasants, and eagles are able to do the same. However, wintering eagles find rabbits rather easy to catch, including road kills, thus concentrating on the lazier approach. I've studied the balds in their search-and-destroy of small animal mission in Canada's Northwest Territories, including dismantling of snowshoes to feed young. The beak is used as a ripping tool as much as the feet, and you cannot watch the process without feeling like an eagle is a wolf with wings. The young waste no time (usually two eaglets to a nest high in a tree) gulping it dow n. You can't find active nests now, but you can watch a fascinating bird. |