Bald eagle migration research - 68

Under the setting moon, rising sun and a bald eagle flying above, Steve Lewis, Raptor Management Coordinator, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (left) and Rachel Wheat, a graduate student at the University of California Santa Cruz wait for bald eagles to land on the traps they set on the gravel bar of the Chilkat River. Each morning under the cover of darkness they would set their traps. The traps are being used to capture bald eagles that will be used in a study being conducted by Wheat. Once the traps are set, it is a matter of waiting -- and waiting. On some days no eagles were caught, on others, only one or two were caught. Wheat is conducting a bald eagle migration study of eagles that visit the Chilkat River for her doctoral dissertation. She hopes to learn how closely eagles track salmon availability across time and space. The bald eagles are being tracked using solar-powered GPS satellite transmitters (also known as a PTT - platform transmitter terminal) that attach to the backs of the eagles using a lightweight harness. During late fall, bald eagles congregate along the Chilkat River to feed on salmon. This gathering of bald eagles in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve is believed to be one of the largest gatherings of bald eagles in the world.

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Alaska Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve Alaska Department of Natural Resources Alaska State Parks America BAEA Bald Eagle Council Grounds Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve Chilkat River Chilkat River Bald Eagle Preserve Department of the Interior Haines Haliaeetus leucocephalus Klukwan North America Rachel E. Wheat Rachel Wheat Stephen B. Lewis Steve Lewis Takhin Ridge Takhinsha Mountains U.S. U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service UCSC US USA USFWS United States United States of America University of California University of California - Santa Cruz animal animals aves avian bald eagle bird bird of prey birds birds of prey calm clear clear skies clear sky cold eagle eagles early morning light education fauna graduate student horizontal low temperature moon nature outdoor research outdoors placid protected land quiet raptors research research equipment restful scenery scenic serene skies sky snow southeast Alaska spotting scope still sun sunlight team work teamwork tranquil two people view viewing wait waiting watch watching wildlife

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Bald eagle research - Chilkat River eagle migration study