[mou] golden eagle count results

[joan schnabel/jeff falk]

Hi  here are the results from 2007 Golden eagle count.  On Count day  
there were 41  sightings.  Count week brought the total  to 51 (2006  
total 29)
  with 10 additional sightings  reliably felt to be different  
birds.    State totals , Iowa 1,  MN 16, and WI 34.      Buffalo  
County  WI had the most with 30 on count day and another 4 in count  
week. Other county totals were  Alamakee, Iowa, 1, Fillmore, MN 3,  
Houston, MN 6, Winona MN 7,    Wabasha and Trempealeau counties were  
both 0.   47 people participated in the count  which is organized by  
Scott  Mehus.  Carol Knabe got some wonderful photos of a 3-4 year  
old Golden interacting with an Immature Bald.   Additional sightings  
Bald Eagles, 223, Rough -legged Hawk 36, Red-tailed Hawk 223,  
Northern Harrier 2, Sharp-shinnedHawk 4, Cooper's  Hawk 3, American  
Kestrel 31,  eagles unidentified 6 (too far to call  or too brief in  
view), raptors  unidentified 7.   also noted Northern Shrikes 7,  
coyotes 3 (I know not a bird) large flocks of Red-winged Blackbirds,   
Horned Larks  (noted my many observers to be more than last year).   
SE MN also had 20 Yellow-rumped Warblers, 75 American Robins and 18  
Eastern Bluebirds.  I do not have total hours or mileage covered  
yet.  If you want that additional data, please back channel.

So put it on your calendars for next Jan. and come join us.    Thanks  
to all  who have posted on golden eagles on the forums.  Your input  
is appreciated.   We are getting the sense that these goldens are  
returning to the same spots each year and have winter territories.   
some questions that I have are:   are the numbers increasing,  if so  
why?  are there any breeding pairs?  any breeding pairs on record? Is  
there an active  Hawk Watch counting  south of Hawk Ridge, in the  
western part of WI or eastern MN and what are their numbers?  (Hawk  
Ridge counted 120 this year)  Whats the latest date that people are  
seeing the goldens?

If any one wants to go looking,   let myself or Scott know and we can  
give you some likely routes.

Joan Schnabel    in beautiful Buffalo County