2007 Summer

HIGHLAND COUNTY EAGLE SIGHTINGS

SUMMER

June 1 – July 31, 2007

June 1, 2007

2

Time: 0900

2

Time: 1800

2 5 5 7 X 4 1 5

June 2, 2007 Time: 0900

bald eagle Immature bald eagle adult

bald eagle adult

Time:1115 & 1127 bald eagle adult June 4, 2007 Time: 0835 Time: 0845

June 5, 2007 Time: 1300

Time: 1315 June 6, 2007 Time: 1100 Time: 1400 June 7, 2007 Time: 0730

Carol Bandy

VA 640 at VA 639 on Bandy farm

Immature BAEA with white in tail, but not head and mottled, flushed from carcass on Bandy farm.

Andrew Luther

Over Potomac River in Blue Grass Valley between VA 641 & VA639

Adult BAEA flew north along the Potomac River between Ruckman and Snyder lanes

Andrew Luther

Between Potomac River & VA 640 about 0.5 mile south of VA 639

Edmund Hevener, Sandy Hevener

West side US 220 5.4 miles south of Monterey

Adult BAEA perched in tree over Jackson River.

bald eagle adult

Keith Carson

West side US 220 5.4 miles south of Monterey

Adult BAEA perched in tree near Jackson River.

bald eagles (2) immature one dark head one whitish head

Keith Carson

East side of US 220 at transmission line 13.4 miles south of Monterey

Both immature BAEA perched a few feet apart in the same tree next to Jackson River.

Bald eagles (2) Adult hatchling

Mitchell Byrd, Bob Cole, Linda Cole

Nest # 2 HI-06-01

Both eagles at Nest #2

bald eagle adult

Mitchell Byrd, Bob Cole, Linda Cole

US 220 at VA 642

Adult BAEA flew over.

bald eagle adult

Mitchell Byrd, Bob Cole, Linda Cole

VA 643, Hevener Lane

Adult BAEA flew from road.

bald eagle adult

Mitchell Byrd, Bob Cole, Linda Cole

West side US 220 5.4 miles south of Monterey

Adult BAEA perched in tree near Jackson River.

bald eagles (2) fledglings mottled under wings, brown on top, white downy feathers

John Chaney

West of VA 678 about 1 mile and north of McDowell about 1.8 miles

Two juvenile BAEA near pond.

7 7

Time: 0840

June 8, 2007 Time: 0850

bald eagles (2) adult immature

Keith Carson

East side of US 220 at transmission line 13.4 miles south of Monterey

Adult and immature BAEA perched in tree near Jackson River.

Bald eagle adult

Keith Carson

East side of US 220 at transmission line 13.4 miles south of Monterey

Immature bald eagle perched in tree by Jackson River.

4

Time: 1600

golden eagleadult

Val Kitchens

Edge of Blue Grass Valley near river and north of VA 642 seen from Ginseng Mt. Rd.

Adult GOEA soaring over Brushy Mt.

4

Time: 1600

bald eagle adult

Val Kitchens

East side of US 220 at Ginseng Mt. Road

Adult BAEA flew north parallel to US 220, flapping, not soaring as bird above.

bald eagle adult

Val Kitchens

Fire Road 55 south of Paddy’s Knob on VA-WV line

Adult BAEA flew over and out of sight.

golden eagle adult

Edmund Hevener

North side of VA 642 about 0.3 mile west of VA 640 on Crummett farm

This bird was perched in a snag and holding a large clump of grass in its beak. It remained perched as the observer drove past. This was a solid golden eagle with absolutely no lighter color visible. This bird was about 1.5 miles west of the suspect golden eagle nest discovered July 1, 2007.

June 9, 2007 Time: 1100

V

1

June 10, 2007 Time: 0930

^ 1

Time: 1508

golden eagle Adult

Sandy Hevener, Edmund Hevener

Northern Blue Grass Valley and south side of Snowy Mountain

Adult GOEA flew very quickly north across VA 642 and then VA 644. When it got to the foot of Snowy Mt., it started circling and slowly rose in a thermal until very high and out of sight.

2

Time: 1715

bald eagle adult

Edmund Hevener

Blue Grass Valley west of VA 637 2.4 miles north of US 250

Adult BAEA feeding on something in hay meadow.

bald eagle adult

Keith Carson

West side US 220 5.4 miles south of Monterey

Adult BAEA perched in tree by Jackson River.

bald eagle adult

Amory Mellon

West side US 220 5.4 miles south of Monterey

Adult BAEA perched in snag near the Jackson River.

bald eagle fledgling

Sandy Hevener

West side US 220 5.3 miles south of Monterey

Fledgling flew up from west shoulder of road and flew west barely above the trees on bank.

5 5 5

June 12, 2007 Time: 1630 June 13, 2007 Time: 0815 Time: 1811

2

June 14, 2007 Time: 1530-1620

bald eagle adult

Sandy Hevener

Blue Grass Valley west of VA 637 2.4 miles north of US 250

Adult BAEA ate carrion in hay meadow north of two large maple trees

7

Time: 1640

bald eagles (2) immature

Keith Carson

East side of US 220 at transmission line 13.4 miles south of Monterey

Two immature BAEA perched in same tree by the Jackson River.

2

Time: 1715-1730

same bald eagle

Sandy Hevener, Edmund Hevener

Same as above

Same adult BAEA ate carrion in same place

2

Time: 1730-1800

same bald eagle

Sandy Hevener, Edmund Hevener

Same as above

2

June 15, 2007 Time: 0715 and off & on all a.m.

bald eagle adult

Sandy Hevener, Edmund Hevener

Blue Grass Valley west of VA 637 2.4 miles north of US 250

Adult BAEA walking around hay meadow and feeding on carrion. The hay was cut and on ground.

2

Time: 2015

bald eagle adult

Sandy Hevener

Blue Grass Valley west of VA 637 2.4 miles north of US 250

Eagle flew out of maple tree 100 yards west of house and flew west when observer approached to open gate for sheep..

bald eagle late immature

Keith Carson

East side of US 220 at transmission line 13.4 miles south of Monterey

Late immature BAEA perched in tree by the Jackson River

bald eagle adult

Doug Puffenbarger

VA 637 0.1 mile north of US 250

Adult BAEA eating groundhog in front of Jerry Shifflett’s house.

bald eagle adult

Edmund Hevener, Sandy Hevener

Blue Grass Valley west of VA 637 2.4 miles north of US 250

Adult BAEA perched in maple tree 100 yards behind house.

Time: 2014

bald eagle adult

Sandy Hevener

Blue Grass Valley west of VA 637 2.4 miles north of US 250

Adult BAEA perched in maple tree 100 yards behind house. It perched, silhouetted in evening mist and flew west away from observer when she opened a gate.

2

June 21,2007 Time: 0715 until?

bald eagle adult

Sandy Hevener

Blue Grass Valley west of VA 637 2.4 miles north of US 250

Observer first noticed adult BAEA perched in the usual maple tree at 0715 and it was gone when she went to let sheep out at 0830.

2

June 23. 2007 Time: 0948

bald eagle fledgling (most likely)

Keith Carson, Polly Newlon

Blue Grass Valley west side of VA 640 & VA 637 intersection.

Young BAEA with diagonal light bars on wing undersurface flew over cornfield and then flew off to the southwest up the valley.

7

June 16, 2007 Time: 1820 June 18, 2007 Time: 1300

2 2

June 19, 2007 Time: 0645- ?

Same adult BAEA perched in large maple tree next to hay meadow fence. This eagle looks a lot like a small (male?) 4-year-old that visited this meadow last summer and photographed with five immature BAEA on July 31, 2007.

2

June 26, 2007 Time: 0715-0840

5

June 27, 2007 Time: 0830

2

June 29, 2007 Time: 0900

2

Time: 1650-1830

bald eagle adult

Sandy Hevener, Edmund Hevener

Blue Grass Valley west of VA 637 2.4 miles north of US 250

Adult BAEA perched in usual maple tree while observer worked in garden. It remained perched when she went to let sheep out until the sheep and observer were halfway to the perch tree. It flew west-northwest.

bald eagle adult

Amory Mellon

West side US 220 5.4 miles south of Monterey

Adult BAEA perched in tree.

bald eagle adult

Andrew Luther

Between Potomac River & VA 640 about 0.5 mile south of VA 639

Adult BAEA perched in dead locust tree.

bald eagle adult

Edmund Hevener, Sandy Hevener

Blue Grass Valley west of VA 637 2.4 miles north of US 250

Adult BAEA perched in usual maple tree. It flew west when observer walked up lane to let sheep in. This time she did not fly until observer started to open gate at end of lane.

bald eagle(2) adults M & F PHOTOS

Sandy Hevener

Blue Grass Valley west side of VA 640 & VA 637 intersection.

Female adult BAEA perched in usual maple tree. Observer notices male perched 5 feet above it at 0803. When she walked up lane to let sheep out, both remained perched until she opened the gate. Then the male flew west and female continued perching. When observer got back to house the female had flown.

2

June 30, 2007 Time: 0630-0819

bald eagle adult

Sandy Hevener

2

July 1, 2007 Time: 1400-1430

Blue Grass Valley west side of VA 637 about 2.5 miles north of US 250.

Adult BAEA on ground behind Ivan Puffenbarger’s silo fed on groundhog. It flew when someone shot at another groundhog well west of the eagle.

Time:1910-1045

bald eagles (2) 2nd year hatch year

Sandy Hevener

Blue Grass Valley west side of VA 637 about 2.5 miles north of US 250

Second year BAEA fed on same groundhog as above. A birddog pointed and barked at it and it flew northwest and below crest of low hill. It returned at 1950 and a hatch year BAEA joined it at 2003. At 2005 the second year BAEA flew west. The hatch year BAEA continued to feed until almost dark. It allowed a crow to feed on the groundhog with it.

bald eagle adult

Edmund Hevener

West of VA 637 about 100 yards and 2.4 miles north of US 250

Agitated adult BAEA perched in usual maple tree 1000 yards behind house was very vocal. Observer did not see the cause of its agitation. A fox squirrel has a den in this tree.

2

2

July 2, 2007 Time: 0630

2

Time: 1600

bald eagle adult

Andrew Luther

5893 Blue Grass Valley Rd. Same as VA 640 about 3.5miles north of US 250

Adult BAEA perched on post.

Time: 1710

bald eagle adult

Keith Carson

East side of US 220 south of Monterey 5.4 miles

Adult BAEA perched in usual tree by the Jackson River.

bald eagle adult

Keith Carson

East side of US 220 south of Monterey 5.4 miles

Adult BAEA perched over Jackson River in tree just north of the usual tree.

bald eagle immature

Carol Bandy

West of VA 640 between VA 639 and VA 637

golden eagle

Keith Powell

VA 600, Upper Back Creek near old Hal Walker farm

Immature BAEA perched in snag across from Jordan’s driveway 1 GOEA circled over pond for about five minutes, then flew west toward Bear Mountain and out of sight.

bald eagles (2)

Keith Powell

VA 600, Upper Back Creek near old Hal Walker farm

Two BAEA circled over the pond for at least 57minutes. They eventually flew east over Lantz Mountain.

bald eagle immature

Keith Carson

East side of 220 south of Monterey 13.4 miles

Immature BAEA perched in usual tree near transmission line next to Jackson River.

bald eagle adult

Les Kodger, Lisa Kodger

VA 631 south of VA 629 about 0.2 mile

Adult BAEA flewover Kodger hous to pond south of it. It perched and then flew to a second pond.

golden eagle adult

Pen Goodall

One mile east of US 250 & Collin’s Run (Goodall driveway)

Adult GOEA flew over Goodall house and then flew over Tamarack, then SW toward the Camp Alleghany Battlefield.

bald eagle adult

Keith Carson

East side of US 220 south of Monterey 5.4 miles

Adult BAEA perched in usual tree over Jackson River.

5 5

July 3, 2007 Time: 0900

2

July 7, 2007 Time: 1000 Time: 1030

Time: 1530

7

July 8, 2007 Time: 1130 July 9, 2007 Time: morning

10

Time: 1300

5

July 10, 2007 Time: 0930

7

Time: 0940

bald eagle adult

Keith Carson

East side of 220 south of Monterey 13.4 miles

Adult BAEA perched in tree adjacent to tree where osprey perched.

Time: 1720

bald eagle adult

Keith Carson

East side of 220 south of Monterey 13.4 miles

Immature BAEA perched in usual tree near transmission line next to Jackson River.

bald eagle

Keith Carson

East side of US 220 south of

Adult BAEA perched in usual tree by the

7

Time: 1735

adult

5 2

July 11, 2007 Time: 0615

5

Monterey 5.4 miles

Jackson River.

bald eagle 3rd. year

Sandy Hevener

West of VA 637 about 100 yards and 2.4 miles north of US 250

Third year BAEA perched in same tree on the same limb on the upper south side of the tree as a two-year old used off & on last summer. Two adult BAEA have been using this tree, but both, whether singularly or together always perch on a limb on the north side of the tree at a slightly lower spot.

Time: 0922

bald eagle adult

Keith Carson

East side of US 220 south of Monterey 5.5 miles

Adult BAEA perched in white oak tree south of the usual tree near the end of the cleared Area.

4

Time: late a.m.

bald eagles (2) fledgling 2nd fledgling or 2nd year

Debora Ellington

0.75 mile west of US 220 and 6 miles north of Monterey

Two fledgling BAEA perched in tree on Ginseng Mt. behind Ellington house.

2

Time: 1630

bald eagle adult

Andrew Luther

5893 Blue Grass Valley Rd. Same as VA 640 about 3.5miles north of US 250

eagle species not identified

Patti Reum

East side of VA 640 one mile south of Blue Grass

Eagle flew low, hunting over field

bald eagle immature

Keith Carson

US 220 about 16 miles south of Monterey

Immature BAEA flew southerly near road. It appeared to be heading toward the Jackson River and Little Mountain.

bald eagle adult

Andrew Luther

5893 Blue Grass Valley Rd. Same as VA 640 about 3.5miles north of US 250

bald eagle adult

Keith Carson

US 220 south of Monterey 5.3 miles east of road

Adult BAEA perched in tree about 100 yards north of usual tree.

bald eagle adult

Amory Mellen

East side of US 220 south of Monterey 5.4 miles

Adult BAEA perched in usual tree.

bald eagle adult

Rick Lambert

East side of US 220 south of Monterey 5.4 miles

Adult BAEA perched in tree over Jackson River.

July 12, 2007 Time: 0930 July 16, 2007 Time: 0845

2

Time:0730

5

July 17, 2007 Time: 0900

5

July 18, 2007 Time: 0830

5

Time: 0835

bald eagle adult

Keith Carson

East side of VA 640 about 0.25 mile south of US 250

Adult BAEA perched in tree near driveway to Morganna Farm.

bald eagle 2nd year immature

Andrew Luther

5893 Blue Grass Valley Rd. Same as VA 640 about 3.5miles north of US 250

Immature BAEA perched.

bald eagle adult- female

Sandy Hevener

West of VA 637 about 100 yards and 2.4 miles north of US 250

Adult BAEA perched in usual tree. This bird looks like the female from a pair and is perched on the same lower limb she uses when the male perches above her.

Time: 0720

bald eagle adult

Keith Carson

East side of US 220 south of Monterey 5.4 miles

Adult BAEA perched in usual tree near Jackson River.

Time: noon

bald eagle adult

Brian Richardson

US 220 southern edge of Monterey near Moat’s Electronics.

Adult BAEA investigating something on edge of road flew lazily to nearby field.

bald eagles (3) 2 adult fledgling

Keith Carson

East side of US 220 5.4 miles south of Monterey

bald eagle adult

Keith Carson

golden eagle immature

Keith Carson

Two adult BAEA perched five feet apart in tree by Jackson River. When observer parked the car, one stayed perched and theother flew southwest,turned more west and flew across the road and out of sight. After observer took photos a very young BAEA flew from the south along the river, past the adult and the birds exchanged vocalizations. The young eagle then perched in a tree about 100 yards north of the adult. Adult BAEA flew low, about 10 feet above river just north of the usual perch tree. Observer waited 10 minutes and the eagle came back to the perch tree and landed on the usual limb. It was quite windy and observer could see the eagle’s head feathers ruffling in the wind and observe red about 30 minutes and the eagle remained perched the entire time. Immature GOEA flew up from the ground in a farm field just south of Pisgah church on Rt. 640. As we drove up next to where the birds flew up from (in a fenced pasture about 100 ft from road on west side of road) the eagle and a raven flew up from nearby spots on the ground. When we got just opposite where they

Time: 0730

2 2

5

Time: 0830-0930 July 19, 2007 Time: 0715

5

Time: 1725

5

July 20, 2007 Time: 1045

3

July 22, 2007 Time: 1530

East side of US 220 5.4 miles south of Monterey

VA 640 about 1 miles north of US 84, just south of Pisgah Church

were and slowed to look there was a turkey vulture still on the ground near where the eagle and raven flew up from, picking at something we couldn't see. The two white wing patches and white base of tail were clearly visible on the eagle as it flew up from the ground. We lost sight of the eagle after it flew, but it appeared to depart in a southwesterly direction.

July 24, 2007 Time: 1221 July 25, 2007 Time: midday

2

Time: 1800

2

Time: 1710-1720

2

Time: 1900

2

July 26, 2007 Time: 0815

2

Time: 0845-0915

Bald eagle immature

Rick Lambert

Clover Creek Ford approx. 7 miles south of McDowell

Immature BAEA flew over river.

Bald eagles (3) 2 adults 1 immature (fledgling)

Edmund Hevener

Behind Blue Grass Post Office

The adults and immature were together behind the post office.

bald eagles (7) 2 adults 5 immature

Carol Bandy

200 yards west of VA 840 at VA 639

Two adult and 5 immature BAEAs feeding on sheep carcass.

bald eagles (2) adults

Edmund Hevener, Sandy Hevener

100 yards east of VA 637 and south of Doug Puffenbarger house 2.4 miles north of US 250

Adult BAEA flew into sinkhole and second adult BAEA flew in two minutes later. Both were on the ground below the lip of sinkhole. After about 10 minutes a TV flew in. After watching for 30 minutes observers never saw any birds leave the sinkhole.

bald eagles (5) 5 immature

Carol Bandy

200 yards west of VA 840 at VA 639

Five immature BAEAs feeding on sheep carcass.

bald eagles (5) 5 immature

Carol Bandy

200 yards west of VA 840 at VA 639

Five immature BAEA feeding on sheep carcass.

eagles (5) PHOTOS 3 fledgling bald eagles 1 2nd. year bald eagle

Sandy Hevener

200 yards west of VA 640 at VA 639

Immature BAEAs on ground, flying in and out of maple tree, fighting on ground, feeding on sheep carcass. The golden fledgling perched in snag 100 yards south of carcass. It’s solid broad white tail band and dark band on bottom of tail was clearly visible. It perched about 15

1 fledgling golden eagle

2

July 27, 2007 Time: 0730

4

Time: 0830

2

Time: 1700

2

Time: 0730

2

July 29, 2007

5

July 30, 2007 Time: 0830

minutes before flying to ground near carcass. One of the fledgling BAEA remained perched on a fence post most of the time and a second later perched on a different post west of it. The eagles kept flying in and out of the maple tree south of carcass making it hard to get an accurate count. Photo of five bald eagles on the ground at one time and the golden perched.

bald eagles (2) adults

Andrew Luther

5893 Blue Grass Valley Rd. Same as VA 640 about 3.5miles north of US 250

Two adult BAEA perched in tree

bald eagle PHOTO Immature fledgling

Sandy Hevener

On Ginseng Mountain south of VA 626 about 0.7 mile west of VA 220

Fledgling BAEA flew in and perched in snag in open area of hill behind Ellington house. It flew away in about five minutes. A canal flows at the bottom of the hill and the Potomac River flows below it to the north.

bald eagle near adult, 4th year female?

Sandy Hevener

West of VA 637 0.5 mile and 2.4 miles north of US 250

bald eagles (2) adults

Andrew Luther

5893 Blue Grass Valley Rd. Same as VA 640 about 3.5miles north of US 250

One adult BAEA perched in tree and second flew over. They exchanged vocalizations and the second then came in and perched.

Three feathers2 eagle body feathers 1 golden eagle immature, body feather (fledgling?)

Sandy Hevener

West of VA 637 0.5 mile and 2.4 miles north of US 250

Feathers were near dead groundhog and close to an eagle perch tree in Hevener hay meadow, in a dip where not visible from house, near rock pile.

bald eagle adult

Amory Mellon

East side of US 220 south of Monterey 5.4 miles

Adult BAEA perched in usual tree over Jackson River.

Fourth year BAEA, possible female, perched in center branch of maple tree. This is a different branch than ones used by the 5-year old male and adult female pair or the three year old BAEAs.

2 2 2 2 3

Larry Bandy

VA 640 at VA 639

Time: early a.m.

golden eagle Immature, possibly fledgling

Golden eagle with white tail and dark head flew close over observer. Its tail was white with dark trailing band but sun through tail made it impossible to be sure white solid white and just not able to see markings of a second year.

Time: 1705

Bald eagle Adult (female?)

Sandy Hevener, Edmund Hevener

0.5 mile west of VA 637 and 2.4 miles north of US 250

Adult BAEA perched in center of maple tree directly below her usual limb during downpour. When the rain stopped at 1735, she left.

Sandy Hevener

Time: 1830

eagle dark, markings not visible

0.75 mile west of VA 637 and 2.4 miles north of US 250

Dark eagle flew very low over alfalfa, corn fields to north from area of perch tree. It flew with effort at tree level and disappeared into woods beyond fields. Its tail was not visible

Time:1909

bald eagle adult (female?)

Sandy Hevener, Edmund Hevener

0.75 mile west of VA 637 and 2.4 miles north of US 250

Adult BAEA perched on female’s limb in ususal maple tree.

Time: 1915

bald eagle adult

Tom Brody

VA 640 north of US 84 near Boesch residence

Adult BAEA perched in tree near road then flew east.

Time: 1945

eagles (2) bald immature with bold spots dark eagle, couldn’t see tail

Carol Bandy

West side of VA 640 at VA 639

Both on ground, couldn’t see tail of darker eagle.

Bald eagles (2) adults

Rick Lambert

East side of US 220 south of Monterey 5.4 miles

Two adult BAEA perched in usual tree over Jackson River. One was eating something and the second just perched.

bald eagle adult

Amory Mellon

East side of US 220 south of Monterey 5.4 miles

Adult BAEA perched in usual tree over Jackson River.

Eagles (7) 3 immature bald eagles, one with white patch under wings and curious white patch in the middle of tail 3 dark eagles, no

Keith Carson

About 0.5 mile north of VA 644 halfway between VA 640 & VA 643 on Carson-Newlon property on the south side of Snowy Mt.

All seven eagles were on the wing. The three immature BAEA circled just north of Carson property on Snowy Mt. They appeared to be playing by diving at each other and lifting their talons. Observer watched them circle for 20 minutes. The second group of eagles flew over the property in a northern direction and disappeared in the distance over Lantz Mt.

2 5

July 31, 2007 Time: 0745

5

Time: 0810

1

Time: 1130

specific markings, possible golden