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Show Outdoor Wisdom from Hartt Wixom Many sportsmen never see a bald eagle in their lifetime. But January is an excellent month to bundle up, get out. and study this proud, noble bird. Ditto on the golden caule. While the golden is not our national emblem, nor as maiestic in appearance, observers ob-servers are often overwhelmed overwhel-med by the sheer size of it, . especially in flight. Like the adult bald, 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 of Utah Lake, especially the large cottonwood trees west of Vernon. Dozens of eagles winter in these trees. If you use binoculars you can get a close look at them both roosting and resting, and occasionally flapping off a high limb to look for rabbits. Other counties recommended recommen-ded by the Utah Division Wildlife Resources for "eagle watching" include Rich, West Weber, Morgan, Summit. Check for them in the latter counties along streams. They prefer higher perches on or along the Weber, or other waters which attract small animals, as well as fish. If you are "lucky" you may see an eagle kill ducks and water birds which they frequently focus on. If near marshes and lakes, the eagles will look for sudden draw-downs which leave carp and suckers stranded. Many raptors sighted now will have migrated from Yellowstone or Glacier Na-; Na-; tional Parks. It is not known how many are located in Utah right now, but 662 of them were counted in 1980, and 658 in 1979. A count just being completed, but not yet tallied, should show about the same number of 1982, UDWR officials figure. You can help by reporting any you see in the 'out-of-way" "places that the UDWR might have missed. For further information on eagle watching watch-ing - counting, contact the Raptor Society, 10 Exchange PI., SLC, UT 84111. At close range there is not much chance you could mistake the white-crowned head of a bald for anything else, or the golden-brown plummage of the other eagle. But at a distance, it possible to mistake large ravens for young eagles. If you can get close enough to observe coloring, however, you won't likely confuse them. 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 than Ben Franklin's proposed pro-posed 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 a 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 crows. There is absolutely no reason to shoot any hawk all do far much more good in removing mice, and other pests, than harming man in any way. Eagles are not without their hazards to man. Around farms and ranches they are known to whisk away chickens, lambs and some reports claim even newly-born calves. In some parts of Wyoming and Montana, eagles have been slaughtered as predators, including wholesale shooting by helicopter. But they are still protected, and in the case of the national symbol bald, might even draw offenders 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 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 animsl mission in Canada's Northwest Territories, including inclu-ding dismantling of snow-shoes snow-shoes 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 down. You can't find active nests now, but you can watch a fascinating birds. |