Eagles continue to do well in Crawford, Grant counties
New
nest along
Plum Creek
By Ted Pennekamp
Nesting bald eagle numbers statewide have risen dramatically since the 1970s (108 nests in the entire state), but now seem to be leveling off. In fact, the number of occupied nests in the state dropped slightly from the record 1,695 in 2018 to 1,684 in 2019.
Over the past several years, Crawford and Grant counties are generally in the top four in the state for eagle nests, and the numbers held true again in the Wisconsin 2019 Bald Eagle and Osprey Survey. Crawford County had 90 nesting pairs in 2019, down slightly from the 101 of 2018. Grant County had 92 pairs in 2019, up from the 81 of 2018.
Only Vilas and Oneida counties in northern Wisconsin have more occupied eagle nests. Vilas County had 175 nests in 2019 and Oneida County had 150.
Seventy-one of the state’s 72 counties had nests, with Milwaukee County being the lone county without.
“We have thought there would be a point where the birds would reach their carrying capacity (occupying all the suitable habitat) and the numbers will hit a stationary point,” said Wisconsin DNR biologist Rich Staffen. “We may be approaching that now. However, we do continue to see an increase in numbers in the southern part of the state where the eagles haven’t nested in a long, long time.”
Staffen said the Mississippi and Wisconsin rivers bordering Crawford and Grant counties, as well as the Kickapoo River in Crawford County and the Grant River in Grant County and all of their tributaries are the prime reason these counties have exceptional numbers of nesting pairs of bald eagles.
The eagle survey is usually conducted in January of each year, with the primary method being aerial surveys of each county. Staffen said the surveys for 2020 have been put on hold due to the coronavirus, but the DNR had plans in place to scale back the number of surveys because of the costs of flight time and staff time to do large surveys for a species that has been increasing and no longer state and federally listed on the Endangered Species List. As a result, Staffen said the DNR is looking to the public for help in keeping track of eagle nests.
“We are leaning on the public to report any suspected new nests they see so we can keep track of these,” said Staffen. “They should report them to Laura Jaskiewiscz via email at: Laura.Jaskiewicz@wisconsin.gov. We have also been partnering with the Madison Audubon Society to build their Bald Eagle Nest Watch program. Citizen volunteers sign up to monitor a known eagle nest throughout the nesting season to give us information on activity and nest success. They are monitoring nests across Southcentral Wisconsin and as far west as Richland County, currently. This has been a tremendous help, so folks interested in doing something helpful for eagles could check out their website and consider signing up to be a nest watch volunteer: https://madisonaudubon.org/bald-eagle-nest-watch.”
DNR and partner efforts, along with those of landowners, raptor enthusiasts and volunteers, helped bald eagles fly off the State Endangered Species List in 1997 and the federal list in 2007.
Plum Creek Nest
A Crawford County nest that appeared in 2020 was not in the DNR records, but it is now because of recent citizen reporting. The nest is above Plum Creek and has at least one eaglet. An adult is usually high in a tree nearby keeping an eye on the eaglet while also scanning the area, including Plum Creek, which has an abundant food supply of trout.
“The nest on Plum Creek definitely appears to be a new nest to our records,” said Staffen.
In addition to spotting and reporting suspected new nests, citizens can also enjoy their hobbies of viewing and photographing eagles in Crawford and Grant counties.
“Tips for seeing eagles are to certainly look for areas along major water bodies, rivers in particular in Southwestern Wisconsin – the Mississippi, Wisconsin, Pine and Kickapoo,” said Staffen. “All of these rivers have numerous eagle nests along them and are great places to watch them. We ask that folks either stay in their cars to photograph them or stay at a safe distance away. If the birds get up off the nest, fly around, or call, then you are too close and you are disturbing them from incubating, brooding and caring for their young. Your car can act as a “blind,” so if possible stay in there for photos or watching nests. Watching them at the nest or fishing over water can be the best way to see and photograph them.”