Greetings.
I write to ask for your help in a very important and urgent matter. The
public hearings before the State Corporation Commission (SCC) on the
proposed wind turbine development in Highland County are now over. The
evidentiary phase will be scheduled at a later date, possibly sometime the
latter part of April.
I have agreed to assist in collecting RECENT eagle sightings in Highland
County. This data will be submitted to the SCC, the Virginia Department of
Game and Inland Fisheries (VDGIF), and other agencies or organizations upon
request. Data will also be maintained by the Bath-Highland Bird Club.
After gleaning through the VA-Bird archives, it's quite likely there are
unreported sightings by some of you. Here's what I need for each Bald AND
Golden Eagle sighting between October 1, 2005 to present. (If you have
older sightings, please send these separately and I will forward them to
individuals who are collecting historical data.)
1) Species, along with date, and if possible, time of sighting and
age.
2) We need specific locations. If viewing from road and bird observed
in distance, please note this. For example, "While standing on Rt. 642 at
intersection with Rt. 644, I observed an immature Golden Eagle in the
distance to the south flying along the eastern slope of Lantz Mountain. It
slowly circled, drifting northward, sometimes making a wide sweep circling
directly over Lantz Mountain and then dropping altitude. It continued
drifting northward and circled directly overhead before flying across the
road heading NE toward Monterey Mountain." If bird was photographed, please
note this and provide photo if possible.
3) If you have a Delorme or some other atlas, it would be helpful if
you could mark the location for each sighting.
4) The name, address, email and phone number for each observer.
I need this data as quickly as possible to allow sufficient time to create
chart and grid map showing each reported sighting that will be coded and
identified.
A draft for review and comments will be provided to each individual making a
submission before official submission to SCC.
Thank you in advance for you help.
P.S. I'm contemplating on including detailed sightings for Northern Goshawk
and Northern Harrier. Go ahead and send me the same detailed info listed
above (1-4). The Northern Goshawk is listed as "Species of Concern" by US
Fish and Wildlife Service.
Brenda Tekin
Charlottesville, VA
Leave behind what you find; if you must take something, take pictures.
Photo journal including Birds of Virginia:
http://www.birdsofvirginia.com ;
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