Last week both Camellia and Grace visited landfills, not an uncommon destination for eagles these days. Research at CCB determined landfill visitation rates using data collected from satellite tracked bald eagles in the Chesapeake Bay.   Using 67 tracked eagles, we found that landfill use varied with age with the youngest age class (hatch-year or first year) eagles using landfills more than older eagles. We’ll share more details on this when the paper is officially published in the scientific literature.  Until then, know that Grace is learning foraging and social behaviors at these landfills like other young eagles in the region.

Camellia

We had a brief scare with Camellia where his transmitter wasn’t charging enough to turn on the GPS part of the transmitter. Our dedicated volunteers in lower Tidewater, Beverly Nettleton and Jim & Shirley Yanello, searched for him around the St. Brides prison with no luck. The GPS finally got enough battery power to record data points and we determined Camellia was at Ocean View Golf Course. Jim photographed Camellia at the golf course (see below).

Camellia flying at Ocean View Golf Course. Photo by Jim Yanello.

Camellia flying at Ocean View Golf Course. Photo by Jim Yanello.

Camellia moved west out of the Tidewater region to Sussex County.

Camellia utilizing the Atlantic Ln landfill adjacent to the Sussex State Prison.

Grace

Grace flew north from the James River to a landfill in Maryland.

Grace visited the Charles County Landfill in Maryland.