Loss of Life on the Lake

As you may have learned through an earlier post that an Eagle was discovered incapacitated due to unknown reason and was resting on the ground. It was assumed that due to the lack of any evidence indicating a struggle with another predator that the bird may have recovered on its own and returned to flight…  unfortunately that assumption may have turned out not to be the case.

The saga picks up again the following late Saturday evening on April 27th when an email is received from the same neighbor that had been responsible for the original sighting that prior Sunday, April 21^st.  The email indicated that while out walking her dog, they discovered the carcass of an adult bald eagle deeper into the bushes approximately 25 feet from the first encounter.  It is assumed to be the same eagle that was previously encountered.

Be warned the image of the deceased animal may be disturbing to our more sensitive visitors. The photo may be viewed by clicking on the following LINK. 

The next day on April 28^th while at the Angle Lake Fishing Derby, I shared the unfortunate news with Shore Club President Lonnie Goulet, his brother Bruce.  It wasn't until a couple hours later that Bruce’s wife Sandy informed me that she had received a call from her neighbors John and Sheri Kuglar indicating that they had just witnessed an Eagle fall dead to the ground from the nesting tree above their property. Also shared in the report was the comment that they had discovered earlier a partially consumed rat that came to rest on the top of their car.

John placed a call into Fish and Wildlife Service and was requested to collect the bird and store it in a freezer until their resources could come to claim it.  John also informed them that a second adult bald eagle was found and they requested the same so that a forensic investigation could be performed to determine cause of death.  After the derby I contacted my neighbor who then showed us where the bird was resting and with the help from Lonnie and Bruce, we bagged the bird and delivered it to the Kuglar resident for keeping with the other bird.

The following afternoon I received a call from Amanda Crook of Fish and Wildlife Services requesting additional detail regarding the original sighting as reported in the blog and asking for additional information leading up to the recovery of the second bird.  Amanda verified that it may be several weeks until the results of the autopsy were learned and confirmed that the results would be shared with the community through the Kuglar’s.

At this point we can only speculate what the cause was attributable to the death of these two eagles, but with the evidence available the assumption is that accidental poisoning occurred from consumption of a tainted rat. Once the true cause has been verified it will be reported via the blog.

As for now, while writing this post on Sunday morning, May 5^th from my manchair, I am happy to report that another bald eagle had twice passed by outside my window with what I assume to be a Great Blue Heron, also witnessed in flight off in the distance. It is my hope that we humans will take particular care and restraint when using household chemicals and poisons as to have prevent any unexpected unfavorable consequences on our other natural inhabitants.