[Bristol-Birds] ground team struggles to hunt Austin Springs eagle nest
- From: "Wallace Coffey" <jwcoffey@xxxxxxxxxx>
- To: "Bristol-birds" <bristol-birds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sun, 27 May 2012 04:04:46 -0400
Boone Lake
Johnson City
Washington Co., TN
26 May 2012
For nearly three hours Saturday, a team of four searched in harsh conditions
of rank vegetation and a record high temperature of 91° (old record 89° set in
1991) to reach a suspected nest tree of the Austin Springs Bald Eagle pair.
No active nest was found.
Much of the determination was made based on the lack of heavy excrement
in the vicinity. The ability to survey the thick canopy was obscured.
Two searchers reached the tree after about two hours. It was
a particularly challenging effort which required significant transportation,
planning, maps, GPS, radios and cell phones for field communications. Other
team members relayed searchers to the nearest starting points, managed
communications and coordinates and retrieved the ground crew.
The searchers eventually believed they reached the correct tree but even
that turned out to be more complicated and possibly less certain than
originally
believed. While the exact expected tree is certain, the ability to determine
if
that is the actual tree reached and inspected is possibly less certain. There
was no ability to visually coordinate that in the field. While it is possible
to make
such a determination, the search itself was under estimated by the team.
The adult Bald Eagles were in the vicinity and, at one point, flew low and
past the field party (including directly over one ground searcher) but not
until the end when the last searcher had terminated the effort.
Special equipment was carried into the field to measure the actual height
above ground, diameter of the nest to be determined from ground level and
percent of canopy cover.
An experienced photographer carried good camera equipment afield. The
ground searchers were especially qualified for the task.
After a brief break of a few hours, some of the field party worked late
into the evening after dark in an attempt to track eagles moving near the
suspected nest location.
The search will continue with additional strategy and reconnaissance.
Washington County, TN property officials will provide support Tuesday.
Wallace Coffey
Bristol, TN
Let's go birding . . . .
Wallace Coffey
Bristol, TN
Other related posts:
- » [Bristol-Birds] ground team struggles to hunt Austin Springs eagle nest - Wallace Coffey
