Eagles Have Landed -- Among Us

washingtonpost.com ^ | Monday, January 17, 2005 | David A. Fahrenthold

[crushelits]

Rallying Species Finds Urban Haven on Potomac

Rosilie Island, a spit of land in the Potomac River where bald eagles roost, has a good claim to being the most unlikely wildlife refuge in Greater Washington.

It's not a natural island, or even an island at all. Instead, it's an old sand and gravel dump, where enough dirt was piled over the years to create a ragged peninsula.

Then there's the noise and bustle of the huge National Harbor construction project, being built on the island's doorstep. And the small matter of the Woodrow Wilson Bridge. Tiny Rosilie holds up the Maryland end of this roaring monstrosity, with 200,000 cars passing every day and more lanes under construction.

But somehow, the bald eagles don't seem to mind. As many as two dozen now perch here at any given time, including one nesting pair and a number of transient eagles who use the island as a "loafing ground" in winter.

The northern end of Rosilie Island has been set aside to protect the birds. Soon, similar protection will be given to the southern tip of the island, officials say.

Last week, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service biologist Craig Koppie watched a white-headed bird sitting placidly on one of the island's trees as traffic and construction equipment rumbled nearby. "We have an eagle sitting right here on this tree," Koppie said. "It obviously doesn't care in the least what's going on."

[Graybeard58]

The birds were listed as endangered in the 1960s because of the pesticide DDT, which weakened their eggshells and caused them to break. Since DDT was banned, however, the number of nesting pairs in the 48 contiguous states has rebounded from several hundred to more than 7,000.

While millions of humans have died because of the ban.

[groanup]

I live in a major city. I have red-tailed hawks, barn owls, red shouldered hawks, peregrine falcons, great horned owls, barred owls, screech owls, as well as robins, chickadees, nuthatches, buzzards, mockingbirds, titmice, towhees...,in my back yard, but no eagles. Go figure. The possums must keep them away.

[crushelits]

[Ruy Dias de Bivar]

***Last week, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service biologist Craig Koppie watched a white-headed bird sitting placidly on one of the island's trees ****

We went to church today and when we got out we saw between 90 and 100 eagles sitting in the trees near the church. Went home quick and got the camera and took as many pictures as possible. In NW Arkansas.
Witnesses... Me, my wife, the owner of the land, the plant chemist/wildlife biologist and others.

[Lurker]

Ahhh the WP. If there aren't Eagles in the Potomac, then there aren't any eagles at all.

Meanwhile, here in flyover country, at Starved Rock in Illinois they've been offering tours to see eagles for the last decade. People book those weekends months in advance.

The golf course where Mrs. L works has had a resident breeding pair for the last 5 years.

L

[crushelits]

They need to fill up the paper with some articles.

[July 4th]

I have no problem with a DDT ban in the US and Canada. It's unnecessary here because of the climate and the alternative ways that we've learned to deal with insects. However, the ban in other parts of the world - as you say - has been deadly. DDT is cheap to make and cheap to apply. It's a savior for third-world nations with insect problems, and its benefits far outweigh the risks.

[Antoninus]

It's so true.

[henderson field]

Wild creatures are a lot more resilient than certain people would like you to believe. The same certain people (Sierra Club, etc.) allow habitat to be eliminated through record-breaking immigration and do nothing to oppose it. It's baffling.