Redwood Reader

This letter appeared in the Times-Standard Sunday. I did not see the letter it refers to. I have seen golden eagles in Petrolia and Bridgeville. From above Bridgeville one can see how much land has been cut and habitat destroyed. The eagles might be concentrated by activity elsewhere in the counties forests into what has been a quiet area until a couple of years ago. Or maybe there is that much new open habitat to occupy.
One other thought: Do golden eagles use the same sites for multiple seasons? The article reads like they would be able to cut the area after the breeding season was over, removing nesting habitat potentially reused like osprey nests. My Ecological Inventory Manual says golden eagles in Humboldt are rare permanent hunters of rabbits and rodents on rolling open hills that prefer large trees to build large platform nests on. Reads like they prefer open country but need big trees to breed. The manual also quotes California Forest Practice Rules 919.3, 939.3, 959.3 which seem to give year round protection to the nest tree, perch trees, screen trees and replacement recruits, while allowing thinning control and select cuts in the buffer zones in the off (non-critical) season.
Its good there are more eagles than we thought. Each designated nest tree and its buffer zone is preserving a block of glomalin rich soil and a vast array of mycorrhizia for restoration and recolonization of neighboring disturbed blocks. Lets keep it that way until glomalin becomes part of Forest Practices and economic incentive to grow and maintain big trees becomes reality.

Eureka Times-Standard
Setting the record straight on golden eagles
Sunday, August 08, 2004 -
My Word by Sal Chinnici and Dan Dill
Recently, some rather misguided statements have been published concerning surveys and nest protection measures for golden eagles in Humboldt County. In particular, we wanted to respond to a recent letter concerning golden eagle surveys conducted by Palco, in consultation with the California Department of Fish and Game (CDFG). In fact, it sounds as if certain "performers" might want to add a second or third act to their play about eagles to tell the whole story!
As background information, until Palco and CDFG began cooperating on golden eagle surveys three years ago, only two nests of this magnificent species were known in Humboldt County. About that time, a fledgling eaglet was found on the ground near a Palco Timber Harvesting Plan (THP) site. All logging activity was stopped. Concerned loggers carried the eaglet to safety. A search was conducted for the nest, which was then found in a tree near the THP. The eaglet was examined by a raptor expert and found to be healthy, and Palco biologists climbed the nest tree and placed the eaglet back in the nest. We began monitoring the nest from a distance, and found that the eaglet once again tried to leave the nest, even though there was no logging activity in the area. We also observed that the eaglet was protected and fed on the ground by its parents. The juvenile eagle was later seen healthy, flying, and eating on its own.
Since that time, Palco and CDFG have developed a survey protocol for golden eagles that has resulted in Palco's wildlife biologists conducting over 2,250 hours of surveys, while physically searching 23,000 acres of our forests for nests, and visually observing about 86,000 acres of forest and prairie for sign of golden eagles. What have been the results of these surveys? Palco biologists have located 12 additional nests on or near our lands, with five of them in the Mattole watershed alone, thereby increasing the total number of Humboldt County nests by a factor of six. All of the nests are reported to adjacent landowners and to the state's wildlife database.
Through the CDFG/Palco consultation for protection of golden eagle nests, during the breeding season of this species (Jan. 15 to Sept. 1), no logging operations can occur within one-half mile of occupied nests, or within one mile of nests if helicopter yarding is proposed, until the eagles are finished nesting. Our nest monitoring has revealed that, over the last two years, seven occupied nests have fledged seven young golden eagles.
In summary, the truth is that Palco and CDFG have cooperated in an unprecedented effort to find and protect the nests of golden eagles on managed forestlands. We are proud to say that we have greatly increased the number of known nests, and are contributing to the scientific knowledge of the golden eagle. Dedicated bird-watchers in the Mattole Valley have an excellent opportunity to view this magnificent species soaring above the ridge-top prairies of the watershed, as has our dedicated wildlife staff.
Sal Chinnici, a wildlife biologist at Palco for 13 years, lives in Fortuna. Dan Dill, also a wildlife biologist at Palco for nine years, lives in Scotia.