Good news & arguments FOR Endangered Species Act. Let the eagles soar.

[havocmom]

The Bald Eagle is making a grand comeback, especially in Montana.

In 1978, there were only 12 breeding areas for bald eagles in the state, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Now, DuBois estimated, Montana has more than 350 nesting territories and 700 eagles during the winter.

http://www.billingsgazette.com/index.php?ts=1&display=rednews/2006/01/15/build/state/25-eagle.inc

They were on the verge of extinction, as were many other large birds of prey, when I was a lass. I remember how excited we were to see California brown pelicans, as they were about gone back then too. DDT was a root problem. The ban on DDT brought an increase in hatched chicks of many species. Trips back to California in the late 80s did my ol heart good. Lots of pelicans, whole fleets of them in the skies along good beach stretches like Morro Bay!

Besides the ban on DDT and more careful use of other chemicals, protecting habitat, modifying the infrastructure of our society a bit to make power lines less of an obstacle helped large birds live to breed has had positive impact. Knowledge and careful stewardship works.

more from the article

The bald eagle's recovery can be attributed to federal laws protecting the bird and to conservation measures that have increased nesting opportunities, Hanebury said. "It's worked,'' he said. "We're recovering the bald eagle.''

The ban instituted in 1972 on use of the pesticide DDT, which caused eagles' eggs to thin and break, "certainly helped,'' as did the more careful use of other pesticides and insecticides, Hanebury said.

The article states that about 75% of the nesting pairs are in the western part of Montana, leaving the remaining 25% in the dryer, flatter eastern part of the state. Let me tell you folks, that grand bird is doing a good job of adapting to life here in the badlands and prairies.

While we need to get rid of the invasive salt cedar which sucks up a lot of water, making life tough for the big cottonwoods for nesting, the eagles do a good job modifying their hunting to utilize the bluffs around here for vantage points to scan for prey.

There aren't many rivers full of fish, but we have bunnies and other smaller critters. Those crafty eagles can even bring down adult antelope when they set their minds to it and work in teams. Breeding eagles also bring their young to highways and show them to wait on a high spot overlooking the road. Easy supper when a mammal gets hit on the road. Easy meals during hard winters mean more young live to breading age. And mama eagle teaches sonny to keep an eye out for more vehicles so the youngster doesn't end up as supper for somebody else. Don't often see the remains of a hit eagle. They are incredible birds.

Yeah, it's evidence of many things. DDT and other chemicals were a huge problem. Banning and restricting made a difference. We can have power line transmissions to run our cities AND work to do in in ways which cut the number of bird deaths. We can and should watch/manage introduced plant species which can make survival of native plants needed by native animals more likely. And we can recruit farmers and ranchers into the fight to maintain vital habitat. Most of the good ol boys around here are damned happy with, and protective of the wild critters who share the land most here seriously consider the value of good stewardship.

Just a bit of good news to start your week. And some ammo to use in the advancement of the concept that there ARE win/win solutions, when we really want to find them and put them to work.