On February 16, 2012, the National Eagle Center and Audubon Minnesota released a golden eagle fitted with a satellite transmitter near Waupaca, WI. By tracking golden eagles known to use the blufflands in winter The Golden Eagle Project hopes to understand migration patterns and breeding origins for these birds.

Golden Eagle Project Co-coordinator Scott Mehus notes, “This bird shows that the range of wintering golden eagles may be larger than any of us expected.” The Golden Eagle Project conducts an annual survey and has found the consistent presence of golden eagles wintering in the blufflands of southeast Minnesota, western Wisconsin and northeast Iowa. This year’s survey on January 21, 2012 recorded the presence of 129 golden eagles in the survey area.

“The release today of a golden eagle from north central Wisconsin will add important information to the growing body of data on golden eagles wintering in the Upper Midwest” says Golden Eagle Project Co-coordinator Mark Martell of Audubon Minnesota.

The release of this eagle is part of an on-going project investigating golden eagles that winter in Minnesota and Wisconsin. A golden eagle released in 2009 migrated from western Wisconsin and spent the summer north of the Arctic Circle. Maps detailing the migrations and location of these birds are available at NationalEagleCenter.org and Audubon Minnesota.

This golden eagle is a large adult female named “Jeanette” by the landowner and his sister after their mother. The project denotes her as Golden Eagle #45 signifying the number of the transmitter she carries. The GPS satellite linked transmitter she carries will offer location data 365 days a year from anywhere on the globe, for up to seven years. On her first day, she journeyed about 11 miles north from the release site.

The Golden Eagle Project is a partnership of National Eagle Center and Audubon Minnesota, with support from Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Non-Game Division, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and the United States Fish and Wildlife Service and funding support through Minnesota’s Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund.

SOAR with the Eagles Raffle – Tickets now on sale!
$10 – available at the National Eagle Center
Help support the National Eagle Center during our biggest fundraiser of the year, and get a chance to win great prizes!
Raffle band is an authentic eagle band – just like the one Harriet wore for 17 years in the wild. Get banded for Harriet and all the eagles for your chance to win:

• Current Designs Kayak from Wenonah Canoe
• Mountain Bike
• AmericInn Suite stay

Other prizes include:
Eagle prints
Gift certificates to Lark Toys
Target Gift cards
Kwik Trip Gift cards
Gift certificates to area restaurants including:
Olde Triangle Pub
Silver Star Saloon
J&J BBQ
Read’s Landing Brewing Company
Eagles Nest Coffee House
Green Mill
Country Kitchen
Ground Round

Drawing will be held April 1st, 2012.
Need not be present to win.
Tickets on sale at the National Eagle Center.

Cash and check can be accepted as payment for raffle bands. No credit cards.
The National Eagle Center is a registered 501c3 nonprofit organization.

The final results of the Eighth Annual Wintering Golden Eagle Survey are now in.

On January 21st, 2012, 154 volunteer observers participated in this annual winter count of golden eagles. Covering territory in 18 counties across the blufflands of southeastern Minnesota, western Wisconsin and northeast Iowa, these citizen scientists recorded the presence of 129 golden eagles.

Golden Eagles observed
In Minnesota: 35 (24 Adult, 11 Immature)
In Wisconsin: 94 (69 Adult, 25 Immature)

In addition to 129 golden eagles, a variety of other raptors were observed, including:
Bald Eagle: 1,401 (972 Adult, 47 Immature)
Unidentified eagle: 32 (These eagles could not be clearly identified by observers as either bald or golden.)

Red-tail Hawk: 484 (314 Adult, 47 Immature)
Rough-legeed Hawk: 79 (52 Light morph, 14 Dark morph)
American Kestrel: 37 (20 male, 8 Female)
Merlin: 2
Sharp-shinned Hawk: 1
Copper’s Hawk: 2
Northern Shrike: 7

other species of note:
Wild Turkey: 632

Observers: 154
Observer Hours (#observers x hours spent): 665
Total miles driven in survey area: 3,950 miles

On Saturday, January 21^st, 2012 volunteer observers got out around the blufflands and observed 125 golden eagles. More than 140 volunteer observers covered survey areas in sixteen counties in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Iowa.

This year’s total represents more than 50% increase in golden eagles observed over last year. Clear skies and cold weather on the day of the count made for ideal golden eagle viewing.

The Annual Wintering Golden Eagle Survey is part of an on-going project to learn more about the golden eagle population in the blufflands region. Golden eagles were not previously considered regular inhabitants of this area. For the last eight years, the Wintering Golden Eagle Survey has gathered important data to confirm a regular wintering population of golden eagles in the blufflands of Minnesota, Wisconsin and Iowa.

The Golden Eagle Project is also tracking golden eagles using GPS satellite transmitters to find out more about migration and possible breeding origin of these birds. Tracking maps are available online at Golden Eagle Tracking.

The Golden Eagle Project is a partnership of the National Eagle Center and Audubon Minnesota with support from the Minnesota and Wisconsin Departments of Natural Resources and United States Fish and Wildlife Service and funding through Minnesota’s Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund.

To find out more about the Golden Eagle Project, contact Project Co-Coordinator Scott Mehus at the National Eagle Center, scott@nationaleagelcenter.org or 651-565-4989.