The Eagle is Alive and Well!!!
Volunteers Tiffany and Bill, with amazing help from Able Garcia and Clayton Campbell, Umatilla National Forest Enforcement Officer and city of Walla Walla employee respectively, spent most of Tuesday searching for 20-001. Getting permission to enter the Walla Walla Watershed was the first hurdle. They were told it normally takes 4-7 days to secure a permit. Fortunately, Tiffany loves a challenge. Multiple phone calls and two hours later the permit was delivered to their door.
They headed out at 8:00 the next morning, driving to the end of the road, and then proceeding on foot, up and down several steep hills. As they approached the last known location of the eagle, Bill and Tiffany waited at the top of the hill while Able and Clayton climbed down the steep slope. They searched for an hour-and-a-half. All they found was a small eagle feather. There was no sign of the eagle and no sign of the telemetry unit. They finally had to give up the search. Just as they were leaving, a very large bird came into view. It had a shiny object on its leg. Tiffany quickly commandeered Bill’s binoculars (she figured he could see just fine, he had glasses!) and confirmed it was a golden eagle with a shiny leg band. The eagle was alive and well. She soared overhead for a couple of minutes and then started gaining altitude until they could no longer see her. What started out as a somber search for a dead or, at best, a dying bird, ended with overwhelming joy.
While it is unfortunate that we will not be able to follow the eagle's activities with the telemetry unit, knowing she is alive and well is the best possible outcome we could have. She is almost certainly a resident bird. WDFW had been monitoring two pair of golden eagles in the Dixie area. It is possible she will be spotted again. Her leg band will lose its shine in a few months, but it will still be visible with binoculars or a spotting scope. (The photo below was taken at her release. The skies are much clearer now.)
A Huge Thank You to All BMW Volunteers
BMW is so fortunate to have such a dedicated network of volunteers in eastern and central Washington and eastern Oregon. Every week they go to extraordinary lengths to rescue injured wildlife. Volunteers are a critical part of BMW’s team. Along with an equally dedicated staff and very generous members, BMW is able to serve the wildlife and human residents of “the east side” of Oregon and Washington. I am very grateful for you all. Thank you.
