Eagle Watch in Martin County
EagleWatch@audubonmartincounty.org
Photo: Laurie Odlum
Of all the birds with which we are acquainted, the eagle is looked upon as
the most noble,and the most remarkable for its strength. -- Pliny the Elder
On This Page
- Orientation Meeting
- A Brief History
- Eagle Watch in Florida
- Eagle Watch in Martin County
- What's Involved?
- More Information
- Reporting Forms
Eagle Watch Orientation Meeting
The 2010 Martin County Eagle Watch orientation meeting was held December 7. Download the Orientation Slideshow (PDF).
The Bald Eagle: A Brief History
When Europeans arrived in North America, Bald Eagle populations were high across the continent. Habitat loss and hunting decreased their numbers, but Bald Eagles were not seriously threatened with extinction until after the Second World War. The insecticide DDT saw wide use across the country in postwar years. DDT found its way into lakes and rivers, where it was absorbed by fish, a favorite prey of Bald Eagles. DDT caused these female eagles to lay eggs with thin shells, that frequently broke during incubation. By the 1960s, Bald Eagles were rarely or never seen in areas where they once thrived.
In 1967, six years before the Endangered Species Act took effect, Bald Eagles were Federally listed as "Endangered." Through the combined efforts of government agencies, scientists and private citizens, DDT was banned and efforts began to preserve and enlarge eagle nesting and roosting habitats.
The efforts were a success. In 1995, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service changed the status of Bald Eagles in the contiguous 48 states from Endangered to Threatened. In 2007, Bald Eagles were "delisted." Bald and Golden Eagles are still protected under the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act and the Migratory Bird Protection Treaty.
While Bald Eagle populations have rebounded, they're still threatened by human development, through habitat loss and water pollution. Eagle Watch programs continue across the United States. In addition to the obvious benefit of continued observation of eagle nests (and those who might encroach on them), Eagle Watch programs are an interesting and enjoyable way for private citizens to learn more about environmental issues and meet other like-minded people.
When standing before us in full sunlight, the American eagle always presented an admirable picture of strength and self-reliance, every feather that clothed its powerful form lying unruffled in place, its white head, neck, and tail contrasting sharply with its trim brown body; resplendent were those sinister weapons, the yellow taloned feet and scimitar-like bill, while the restless, piercing eyes of the male bird sometimes showed that no one was trusted, and as plainly in his mate that no nonsense would be tolerated. -- Francis H. Herrick
Eagle Watch in Florida
Florida has more resident bald eagles than any other state in the country, except Alaska. With an estimate of over 2000 nesting pairs, there are more eagles in Florida now than in the entire lower 48 states in the 1970s.
This graph shows the numbers of recorded Bald Eagle nests in Florida between 1973-2006. Audubon of Florida began its Eagle Watch program in 1992. More than 270 nests across the state are monitored each year. Audubon of Florida is the focal point for Eagle Watch activities in Florida, which are coordinated by the Audubon Birds of Prey Center, in Altamonte Springs. If you don't live in Martin County, contact the Center for Birds of Prey to find out about Eagle Watch programs in your county.
Eagle Watch in Martin County
To assist the statewide Eagle Watch program, Audubon of Martin County organizes volunteers who monitor more than a dozen nests on private and public land. Annual orientation meetings, held at the beginning of nesting season, introduce new volunteers and bring together Eagle Watch veterans.
This graph shows the numbers of active (produced young) Bald Eagle nests in Martin County, and the numbers of fledged eaglets, for the period 1977-2009.
Several of these nests are in the DuPuis Wildlife Management Area, 22,000 acres of western Martin County that are owned and managed by the South Florida Water Management District, and which are strategically located near Lake Okeechobee, the Okeechobee Waterway, a 6,700+ acre power-plant cooling reservoir and SR 76.
Each of these locations provides hunting grounds for the eagles, whose preferred food is fish, but which are also known to hunt rats, rabbits, birds and assorted road kill.
This map of Martin County shows approximate locations of known Bald Eagle nests. Unfortunately, many nests are not accessible for monitoring. These detailed maps have links to information specific to each Martin County Bald Eagle Nest.
What's Involved?
Before participating in Eagle Watch, you must attend a no-cost orientation meeting, held in the fall each year. In Martin County, orientation meetings are hosted by Audubon of Martin County, usually at Jonathan Dickinson State Park, on US 1 in Hobe Sound. At this meeting you'll learn more about the life and habits of the Bald Eagle, and where they're found in Martin County. You'll also learn about nest-visit etiquette and requirements, the equipment you'll need (see below) and the forms used to report nest condition and activity.
Afterward, we'll try to match you up with a veteran volunteer, who will introduce you to a nest site and help you master the observation process.
To reduce the chances of disturbing the eagles during nesting season, all observations are made from sites 100 yards or more from the nest tree. Many sites are far from roads and trails, meaning equipment must be carried by foot over rugged terrain, including swamps and marshes. Appropriate clothing and footwear are a must!
In addition, at least one member of the team (we greatly prefer volunteers travel in pairs at least, for safety reasons) should bring a spotting scope. For most sites, a 20X scope is adequate; some may require more-powerful optics. You'll want to bring a camera, though you may have to resort to "digiscoping," using the spotting scope as an impromptu telephoto lens.
Visiting some sites requires several hours of travel, and physical exertion. The sight of our national symbol soaring high and free and tending to its young is well worth the effort. Sites should be visited at least monthly, for minimum periods of 30 minutes. Longer, weekly visits won't disturb the eagles if observers are careful, and enable them to learn much more about their subjects.
Volunteers have constructed camouflage blinds from which to watch each nest and spend buggy, humid, sometimes cold and rainy hours watching and recording the eagle activities. Besides the recording of activities, volunteers will note any extenuating factors which can be hazards to flight, i.e. cross country electrical lines and habitat changes such as land clearing by man or nature.
At the beginning of nesting season, an annual nest report is submitted to the County coordinator and the Center for Birds of Prey, and separate reports are submitted for each nest visit. In Martin County, all Eagle Watch volunteers will receive a monthly update to keep everyone informed of activities at other nests. Summary information will also be published in Audubon of Martin County's seasonal newsletter, The Scrub Jay.
Nest Report Forms (Microsoft Word® format)
- • Basic Nest Information (submitted annually)
- • Nest Report (submitted after each visit)
For More Information
Websites of Interest
- Audubon of Florida Center for Birds of Prey
- Ecology of the Bald Eagle
- Life History of the Southern Bald Eagle (1937)
- Migration and Nesting of Southern Bald Eagles (PDF - 1947)
- Band Resight Resource has information on the color codes used when banding Bald Eagles.
- U.S. Endangered Species Act
- Migratory Bird Treaty Act
- Greg Braun's 2009 Eagle Watch Slide Show (PDF)
- How to Build an Eagle Nest (PDF)
- Photos from the 2010 Martin County Eagle Watch Orientation
- Jim Kearman's Eagle Watch pages
Further Reading
- The American Eagle: A Study in Natural and Civic History, by Francis Hobart Herrick (New York: Appleton-Century, 1934)
- The Bald Eagle, by Mark V. Stalmaster (New York: Universe Publishing, 1987, ISBN 978-0876634912)
- The Bald Eagle: Haunts and Habitats of a Wilderness Monarch, by Jon M. Gerrard and Gary R. Bortoletti (Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press, 1988, ISBN 978-0874744514)
- The Natural History, Chapter 3, "The Different Kinds Of Eagles," by Pliny the Elder. Tufts University Online edition.
