Eagle Watch Wrap-Up
Powerful scopes brought in by Coeur d’Alene Audubon members tell a larger story and never fail to get an awestruck reaction from everyone who sees them. Photo by member Ernie Ewing
Submitted by Ted Smith, Coeur d’Alene Audubon Chapter President
We have just wrapped up our Eagle Watch efforts for 2024. We started out the “eagle season” with a one-hour program at the Coeur d’Alene Public Library entitled “The Eagles of Winter”. This program was jointly sponsored by Coeur d’Alene Audubon, the Bureau of Land Management, and the Coeur d’Alene Public Library. Presentations by CdA Audubon President Ted Smith, and Bureau of Land Management Wildlife Biologist Carrie Hugo were well received by the 115 people in attendance.
On December 12, Education Coordinator Pam Gomes, along with several Coeur d’Alene Audubon volunteers met students from Hayden Canyon Charter School at Higgens Point. About 90 students looked at eagles through spotting scopes and binoculars, took a hike to the point, and enjoyed cocoa around a propane campfire. Visual aids provided by Pam helped the students see how wide the average eagle wingspan is and gave them a feel for how heavy eagles are, emphasizing the difference in size between male and female eagles. An added bonus was providing the same services (scopes, information, and demonstrations) to about 50 students from the West Valley School District that just happened to be there while we were set up. We also contacted about 50 adults that were out looking for eagles. So, all in all, we contacted and assisted around 190 people in about 2 hours.
Education Coordinator Pam Gomes (on the left) demonstrates an average eagle’s wingspan.
Our regular Eagle Watch kicked off on Dec. 21. We provided scopes and information from 10 am to 2 pm at the Higgens Point parking lot. We also handed out eagle stickers to young visitors as well as doing our wingspread demonstrations. During this 4-hour period, we contacted 212 visitors. Everyone was very appreciative of our efforts and I think the volunteers had as much fun as the visitors.
On December 28, we set up again at 10 am at Higgens Point. This day we contacted 262 visitors. The day was quite windy and we got some really great views of soaring eagles with as many as 8 in view at one time. Of course, scanning across the lake we often had more than 10 eagles perched in the trees and in view in the scopes at one time.
Our final Eagle Watch Saturday was January 4. Eagle numbers were down considerably from the previous two efforts but we still contacted 158 visitors. Again we were lucky with the weather. During all our efforts we got one small spit of rain and some light snow flurries, but otherwise the weather was great for eagle viewing.
A citizen scientist gets a birds-eye view of the eagles around Lake Coeur d’Alene.
I want to acknowledge and thank the following folks that volunteered and helped out immensely: Peggy Albertson, Dick Cripe, Heather Smith, George Sayler, Rondi Bogwold, Ellie Emm, Ralph Kerr, Lisa Clark, Ron Gomes, Pam Gomes, Sheila Leer, Joe McCarron, Mark Launder, Ernie Ewing, Vera Ewing, Donna Bohn, and Ted Smith.
To summarize, in 4 events at Higgens Point we contacted/educated 822 visitors and students. Add the library program, and our outreach for this effort totals 937 individuals. Well done!