[mou] (no subject)

[joan schnabel/jeff falk]

Hi,  Here  are the results for the Golden Eagle Survey of 2008.  the  
count day total was 37 golden eagles,  the count week total, adding  
birds seen either a few days before or  after count day, on different  
locations,  added 23 more for a grand total of 60.  There were 67  
observers, and 26 routes, (16  in MN, 9 in WI and 1 in IA).  On count  
day 31 birds were seen in WI and only 6 in MN.  In  2007,   47  
participants counted 54 Golden Eagles.   Also seen this year  were  
390 Bald Eagles,  112  Red Tails, 18 Rough- Legged Hawks and several  
American Kestrels, Northern Shrikes, Sharp -shinned hawks and 1 Red  
Shouldered Hawk.    Anyone wanting more details,  please contact  
Scott Mehus(scottmehus at nationaleaglecenter.org).  Scott really  
deserves a lot  of thanks from all of us for all the work he has put  
into this over the years.  It would not be happening without him.

On a more personal note,  I got skunked (not literally) on  count  
day,  but  Scott and I reran part of the route the next day.   My  
route is the southern end of Buffalo County.   Near the end of Pipers  
Valley  we saw an juvenile golden with wings set come across the  
road.  He was flying back across the road with  a squirrel in his  
talons,   when literally out of nowhere  2 adult balds appeared. (I  
think they were lurking in the trees)   They got the squirrel away  
from him.  He then went after them  but to no avail, and one of the  
balds chased him out of the area.   Everything that I've ever read  
says the Golden Eagles are dominant over the Balds at prey.  I think  
this outcome was different because the golden was a juvenile,  and  
the Balds were definitely acting as a team.  There is a  very large  
nest near there on the Trempealeau River, and I  am guessing  this  
was the pair from the nest.   If that wasn't enough,   on Platt  
valley road,  we had an adult Golden sitting right in front of us on  
a telephone pole  (idiotic squirrel  seen clinging to pole).  He  
flew, and a subadult Golden came in.  What a great day.

  these spots are  easy to find.  If you are heading north on highway  
35 turn right on to County Road P.     Go north, go past Piper's  
Valley road.   Big nest on Right side by River.  Turn Left  onto  
Platt Valley Road.  We saw the perched eagle just on top of the  
ridge, after we crossed Jumbeck Road.  At Brandhorst Road go left.   
(Good place to start looking for Rough legs)  after a short  
distance,  take a left on Piper's Valley Road.  Where the valley  
opens at the bottom we saw the  juvenile golden.  This takes you back  
to county P, so its a loop.   Brandhorst,  County P beyond Platt's  
and County M on the ridge are also good places to look.  as is Rocky  
Ridge Road, a dead end off of county M.

Joan Schnabel  Fountain City WI