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Apple River, IL) The Eagle Nature Foundation (ENF) is looking for volunteers to help with its 53rd Annual Mid-Winter Bald Eagle Count to be conducted on January 26 and 27, 2013. This annual bald eagle count is being conducted throughout the Midwest from Northern Minnesota to Louisiana. The count is actually a one day count on Saturday with the 2nd day being used, only if weather does not allow a person or organization to count the bald eagles in their own locality on the official count day. At least 90% of the eagles will be counted before 11:00 AM on Saturday, the 26th. Each year some counters start the day by counting the bald eagles that can be seen leaving their nighttime roosts while it is still so dark that the birds are only silhouettes flying over head. Some conservation organizations count the bald eagles as a project for their club. In the past bald eagles have been counted from cars, boats and airplanes.

This annual count was started and coordinated for 20 years by the late Elton Fawks from Moline, IL. Terrence Ingram, President of ENF, from Apple River, has been the coordinator of the count for the past 30+ years. Mr. Ingram states, “This count has been the most important bald eagle count in the nation for many, many years. It was the first results of this count in the early 1960’s that truly documented the decline of the bald eagle in the nation. Now this count is the only factual account of how our eagles are reproducing in the Midwest. Since the USFW removed the bald eagle from the Endangered Species List there has been no funding for agencies to remained involved in the monitoring of the eagles reproduction. Most all of the reproduction records are just estimates or extrapolations of how many young have been raised.”

The last few years have documented that a low percentage of immatures were seen during the count. The cause for this low percentage of documented immatures on this count has been purely speculation. It could be that the immatures have been raised and are living somewhere else, or something could actually be affecting their survival; such as starvation, poisoning by chemicals, or a disease, such as West Nile Virus, or they are being killed by vehicles or wind turbines.

Anyone interested in helping with this research by counting the bald eagles in their own area on Jan. 26 should contact Mr. Ingram at ENF, 300 East Hickory Street, Apple River, IL 61001 or phone 815-594-2306 to get the necessary count forms and to receive their area assignment. This has to be done in advance of the count date, Jan. 26.

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For more information contact: Terrence N. Ingram, Exec. Director, Eagle Nature Foundation, 300 East Hickory St., Apple River, IL 61001 Phone 815-594-2306