Where are eagles D27 and D36? I’m delighted to report that we got postcards from both of them earlier this week!
As you might recall, D27 left for Canada on July 16 – about the time that we were thinking she might be looking for a place to settle down! She’s tended to migrate north between mid-to-late May and early June, although she’s drifted later as she’s aged. Still, her mid-July departure caught us by surprise! Whatever the reason – severe drought, reduced fishing opportunities, or a change of heart – she didn’t stay in Canada very long. Between August 17 and August 29, she flew 653 miles south, arriving back in the Decorah area on August 31.
D36 is taking a more leisurely route south as he spends a little time in East Central Minnesota, about 80 miles or so northeast of the Twin Cities. This area is filled with trees, lakes, and rivers, including the Kettle River and St. Croix flyway, and is teeming with fish and small game. It’s also near one of my favorite state parks, so I’m really hoping for a chance to look for him in early October!
A thousand thanks to Brett Mandernack and the staff of Eagle Valley for sharing their maps, knowledge, and expertise! If you’d like to explore the travels of any of the eagles we’ve tracked, please visit our interactive maps at https://www.raptorresource.org/learning-tools/eagle-map/. We also shared a post about FSV44 on our Facebook page today! You can read more about him here: https://www.facebook.com/RaptorResourceProject/posts/4351390554897530.
The Raptor Resource Project