Fly like an eagle: As majestic birds make a comeback in state, many aid efforts
Some have found it an interesting coincidence that across the five-lane highway from a Giant Eagle grocery store in McMurray, actual eagles have taken up residence at Canonsburg Lake.
A nesting pair of eagles first appeared lakeside in the spring of 2016, and a year later, birdwatchers were thrilled to see hatchlings.
The lake is bustling with activity: fishing, boating, paddle boarding and hiking are part of the scene. A bridge leads to both a restaurant and straw-hat theater, and other dining establishments, businesses and offices overlook the 76-acre lake in this shopping center and suburban setting. The Canonsburg Lake eagles had many followers, and they soon had their own Facebook page. There was excitement in the community when hatchlings appeared in the nest.
“Once they fledge, within a week or whenever, they may fly miles and miles away,” said Dan Sitler, wildlife conservation officer for northern Washington County. “They don’t necessarily stick with their parents very long.”
Perhaps because the lake is used so often, someone noticed July 11 an eagle, instead of soaring, was lying on the ground suffering and called state Game Commission Deputy Conservation Officer Heather Flanegan.
No one really knows why the 11-pound national symbol was breathing through an open mouth with her wings spread wide, but Beth Shoaf, senior rehabilitator and executive director of the nonprofit Wildlife Works Inc., speculates “after some initial forays around the natal nest, she missed a perch, fell out of a tree and was stunned.”
Flanegan brought the fledgling eagle to Wildlife Works in Youngwood, Westmoreland County, to be rehabilitated. Blood tests showed it was not suffering from lead poisoning, which could have been a possibility if it had ingested fish that swallowed fishermen’s lead sinkers.
The female eagle was the fourth of that species with whom Wildlife has worked.
“The bird was exhibiting minor neurological signs,” Shoaf said. “It was rattled in some way. It was somewhat dehydrated and somewhat thin. It was pretty obvious it was a very clumsy fledgling, which is normal.”
On a diet of a half-dozen rats (at $2 apiece) a day, mice and trout that Shoaf’s organization provided, the eagle gained weight and her agility increased.
“We are not paid by the Game Commission,” Shoaf explained. “They are not responsible for the activities of any rehabber. We solely depend on internal fundraising, community support and grant making. And we had her for almost two months. As rehab patients go, this was costing more than raising a squirrel or robin. We don’t pick and choose what comes to the door.”
As August drew to a close, the eagle reached the point she could be released to the wild.
A Game Commission wildlife biologist determined hubbub associated with Canonsburg Lake might be a tad stressful for an eagle coming back from the ordeal she had experienced, so the site of the release was instead Washington County’s 5,500-acre Cross Creek park, which centers on a 258-acre lake in the midst of farmland.
On Thursday, Shoaf opened the door of a large crate, and out flew the eagle.
Washington County Commission Chairman Larry Maggi said, “They are very territorial, and that’s the hope, that it stays.”
But in Sitler’s professional opinion, the eagle could end up almost anywhere.
“Once they start flying, where they want to be is where they’ll go. It could easily fly back to Canonsburg Lake, go to the Ohio River, stay at Cross Creek or find farm ponds,” Sitler said.
Although eagles are a protected species, they are no longer on the federally endangered species list.
“The eagle itself is a big success story in Pennsylvania,” Sitler noted. “In 1983, there were three nests in the state. Now there are about 250 nesting pairs.” A wild eagle can have a lifespan of 30 years.
The bird that was rescued at Canonsburg Lake is a bald eagle, but Sitler said the species doesn’t develop its characteristic white-feathered head until it reaches sexual maturity at about age 5.
Nesting season starts sometime in February, and the Game Commission monitors nests in the area.
“We make sure people aren’t harassing the eagles,” Sitler said. “We want to reduce as much disturbance as possible during nesting season.” Photographers getting too close are a problem, and flying a drone over a nest is illegal.
“They’re used to being the king of their domain, so they don’t tolerate that kind of activity,” Sitler said.
The eagle released at Cross Creek County Park likely had a sibling that did not fare as well.
A fledgling eagle was electrocuted over the summer when its wings came in contact with both a neutral and an energized power line.
“We have that problem with eagles, herons and turkeys, which have large wingspans and use our utility poles to perch on,” said Douglas Colafella, spokesman for FirstEnergy on behalf of West Penn Power.
The utility company purchased “animal guards” and installed them in August on poles that are close to the nest at Canonsburg Lake without interrupting power to its customers.
“The eagles at Canonsburg Lake have become local celebrities, with birdwatchers from all over the area stopping by to catch a glimpse,” wrote Linda Moss, president of Pennsylvania operations in the company newsletter. “I’m glad West Penn Power can help protect these regal birds for future visitors to enjoy.”