Second bald eagle hatches on California island

[Kadie]

Second bald eagle hatches on California island

ASSOCIATED PRESS

12:20 p.m. May 6, 2006

LOS ANGELES – Wildlife officials are celebrating the birth of the second bald eagle to hatch on Santa Cruz Island in more than half a century.

The birth was discovered after parents of the chick were spotted bringing food to a ground nest on Wednesday, said Yvonne Menard, a spokeswoman for Channel Islands National Park.

It was only the second natural birth of a bald eagle on the island in more than 50 years. The first came on April 12.
“With each new successful bald eagle nest on the Channel Islands, we are one step closer to seeing the recovery of these magnificent birds to their historic homeland,” Channel Islands National Park Superintendent Russell Galipeau said.

Menard said the birth was even more extraordinary because it was only the second time a bald eagle has been recorded making a ground nest in the continental United States.

snip...
The eagles once flourished on the islands off the central and southern coast of California, but they disappeared in the 1960s as DDT polluted their food chain. The now-banned pesticide made the birds' eggshells brittle.

more...
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/state/20060506-1220-ca-islandeagles.html

[pinto]

1. And in other "environmental comeback" news, there was an AP

piece in my local paper last week about CA condors feeding on a beached whale south of Big Sur. Apparently more than a dozen condors were seen feeding on the carcass.

Long term condor watches said the feeding represented an important verification of the condor's growing independence from human intervention..

[Monk06]

2. FYI Check out the 24 hr eagle cam from Hornby Island BC here

http://www.infotecbusinesssystems.com/wildlife/

[northofdenali]

3. Aren't these guys great?

This is from the Alaska DNR website about the Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve, www.dnr.state.ak.us/parks/units/eagleprv.htm

It is so great to hear they're coming home to California, too!!

[Monk06]

4. Update. First Hornby Island chick just hatched!!!!!!!! .............

[Monk06]

5. False alarm. Incorrect Globe and Snail report.