Bald eagle count this Saturday

   Volunteers are needed to help count Bald Eagles this Saturday March 14th in the San Bernardino and San Jacinto Mountains! Volunteers are stationed at various vantage points around the mountain lakes where they map and note any eagle observations during a 1-hour period on a Saturday morning. This is the 30th year that the San Bernardino National Forest has organized monthly winter bald eagle counts.  
   We need your help for the bald eagle count this Saturday March 14th! Bad weather conditions prevented us from conducting counts in December and February, so we’re keeping our fingers crossed for this weekend. Volunteers need not have experience--just bring binoculars, a watch and dress warmly.

• Volunteers for the Big Bear Lake area should meet at the San Bernardino National Forest Discovery Center on North Shore Drive (Hwy 38) at 8:00 a.m.  (Information contact: Robin Eliason - reliason@fs.fed.us; 909-382-2832 or 909-382-2794).

• Volunteers for the Lake Arrowhead area should meet at the Arrowhead Ranger Station on Hwy 18 in Skyforest at 8:00 a.m. (Information contact: Robin Eliason - reliason@fs.fed.us or 909-382-2832).

• Volunteers for Silverwood Lake State Park should meet at the Visitor Center at 8:00 a.m.  (Kathy Williams - khwilliams@parks.ca.gov or 760-389-2303).

• Volunteers for Lake Hemet should meet at the Lake Hemet Grocery Store at 8:30 a.m.  (Information contact: Heidi Hoggan - hhoggan@fs.fed.us; 909-382-2945).

   Observers are stationed around the mountain lakes for a simultaneous 1-hour census/mapping effort once a month December through March. Through this method, the Forest Service has gained information about favorite use areas and fluctuations in numbers.  
   The San Bernardino Mountains support the largest wintering bald eagle population in southern California. Eagles typically begin arriving in the area in late November and continue to stay in the area until early April.  Numbers using the Big Bear Basin have fluctuated over the past 22 years, from lows of 6-7 to highs of 35-40.  
   In the early 1990s, Forest Service conducted a research project to learn more about what areas in the mountains are important for eagle foraging, perching, and night roosting. Fifteen eagles were caught and equipped with tiny radio-transmitters that allowed us to track their movements. Through radio-tracking, we learned that some of the same individual eagles return to the San Bernardino mountains year after year. We also determined that there is a lot of movement of eagles between the different mountain lakes and that the lakes do not have distinctive separate populations—the eagles regularly move between Silverwood, Big Bear, and Arrowhead lakes. We have also learned that some of the San Bernardino Mountains' eagles travel to Montana, Wyoming, Idaho, Canada, and the Northwest Territories (~2200 miles one-way!) for nesting.
   Scientists at Lake Silverwood also equipped some bald eagles with transmitters tracked by satellites. Some of those eagles were tracked all the way to Alberta, Canada and the Northwest Territories where they probably nested.  Information regarding bald eagle migratory routes for these and other California eagles can be viewed from the University of Santa Cruz Predatory Bird Research Group’s web site at www2.ucsc.edu/scpbrg/migration.htm.

   Breeding populations of bald eagles in southern California were extirpated by the late 1950s.  Until reintroduction efforts began in the 1980s on Catalina Island, the southern-most nest site known in California was in Lake County.  Since 2003, a pair of bald eagles has successfully fledged babies several times at Lake Hemet!   Potential nesting habitat exists on National Forest lands near all of the lakes in the San Bernardino Mountains.  The Forest Service will continue to monitor these areas in the spring for future nesting attempts.  
   The bald eagle is a success story of the Endangered Species Act – through protection under that law, its populations recovered from the brink of extinction.  Bald Eagles are no longer considered an Endangered or Threatened species under the federal Endangered Species Act.  They are still protected under California’s Endangered Species Act.  They also have full protection under the Bald Eagle Protection Act.  Captive breeding programs, reintroduction efforts, the banning of DDT, and public education have all helped in the recovery of this species.
   Catching a glimpse of our breath-taking national symbol is relatively easy during winter months.  There are some fantastic opportunities for excellent close-up photographs too.  Just look in the tallest trees near open water for perching eagles.  Or, if the lake is partly frozen, look for eagles perched on the ice or shoreline near small groups of ducks using the open water.  
   Remember that human presence may distract or disturb the eagles - so, try to limit your movements and don't make loud noises when they're nearby.  If possible, remain in your car while looking at eagles - the car may act as a blind.
   If bad weather is predicted, please call ahead to see if the count is being held as planned.

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