>> Rooney: BALD EAGLES HAVE
MADE A REMARKABLE COMEBACK
IN MASSACHUSETTS.
71 BIRDS FROM COUNTED THIS
PAST WINTER.
FOR THE MOST PART THEY NEST
AROUND THE-- RESERVOIR BUT
ONE LUCKY WEST NEW BERRY
FAMILY HAS A NEST AND TWO
EAGLEETTES IN THEIR BACKYARD
WHERE STATE OFFICIALS FOUND
THEM AND TAGGED THEM EARLIER
THIS WEEK.
A VETERAN OF MORE THAN 100
EAGLET BANDINGS PROFESSIONAL
CLIMBER CURT IS THE CLOSEE
THING MASSACHUSETTS HAS TO A
BALD EAGLE WHISPERER.
>> I TALK TO THEM.
I DO.
I TALK TO THEM, YOU KNOW,
YOU'RE DEALING WITH WILDLIFE
SO I THINK IN ANY CASE WHEN
WILL YOU DEALING WITH
WILDLIFE YOU ALWAYS KEEP A
LOW TONE, KEEP MOVEMENTS TO
A MINIMUM.
>> BUT HIS MESSAGE TO THE
SIX WEEK OLD EAGLET WHO HAVE
ALREADY GROWN LARGE TALLONS
AND LARGE BACKS IS LESS
SUBTLE.
>> I LET THEM KNOW.
ARE YOU GOING THE BAG.
I'M TO THE GOING TO HURT
YOU.
YOU DON'T HURT ME.
ARE YOU PROBABLY 8 POUNDS,
YOU KNOW, I'M 180 POUNDS.
YOU'RE GOING IN THE BAG.
>> Rooney: BAGGING, TAGGING
AND RETURNING THEM TO THEIR
NEST HAS BEEN A KEY PART OF
THE BALD EAGLE'S SUCCESSFUL
COMEBACK IN MASSACHUSETTS.
LIKE ALMOST EVERY ONE
INVOLVED IN THE EFFORT, HE
CALLS IT MORE OF A PRIVILEGE
THAN A JOB.
>> IT IS THE NATIONAL BIRD.
TO BE CHOSEN TO BE ABLE TO
CLIMB TO GO UP THERE, TO BE
IN FIRST CONTACT, FOR ME
THAT IS THE BIG RUSH.
>> Rooney: AND THERE'S BEEN
A LOT MORE CONTACT IN THE
LAST FEW YEARS SAYS PHIL
GRIFFITH OF THE STATE
DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL
AFFAIRS.
>> WE HAVE NOW OVER 70 BIRDS
THAT WE FOUND IN THE
COMMONWEALTH.
20 YEARS AGO, 20 OR 30 YEARS
AG THERE WERE LESS THAN TEN
BIRDS SO IT IS A GREAT
CONSERVATION SUCCESS STORY.
>> Rooney: YET WITH SUCCESS
CAN ALSO COME SADNESS.
ONE OF THE THREE EAGLETS
BORN IN THIS WEST NEWBURY
NEST WAS FOUND DEAD AND
OFFICIALS ARE STILL TRYING
TO DETERMINE WHY.
BUT STATE FISHERIES AN
WILDLIFE SUPERVISOR SAYS
JUST THE FACT THAT THESE
EAGLES ARE NESTING IN A
SUBURBAN BACKYARD IS
REMARKABLE.
>> WE HAVEN'T SEEN BALD
EAGLES NESTING ON THIS RIVER
IN A VERY LONG PERIOD OF
TIME.
>> Rooney: THE REMAINING
PAIR, BROTHER AND SISTER
APPEAR HEALY.
THEY ARE BANDED WITH STATE
AND FEDERAL TAGS, MEASURED
AND CHECKED FOR PARASITES.
A COUPLE OF FEATHERS ARE
ALSO YANKED OUT SO THEY CAN
BE TESTED FOR ENVIRONMENTAL
TOXINS.
>> HE FEELS GOOD.
HE'S TO THE-- HE'S
DEFINITELY NOT A BONNIE
EAGLET.
>> Rooney: AFTER THE BANDING
IT'S BACK IN THE BAG AND
BACK UP TO THE NEST.
THE NERVOUS PARENTS WHO HAVE
BEEN WATCHING FROM A CAREFUL
DISTANCE ARE ALREADY
CIRCLING CLOSER.
>> BY THE TIME WE CLEAR OUT
HERE THOSE PARENTS WILL BE
BACK IN THAT NEST CHECKING
OUT THEIR CHICKS.
>> Rooney: COMING BACK LIKE
BALD EAGLES IN MASSACHUSETTS.
JOINING ME NOW IS
MASSACHUSETTS FISH AND GAME
COMMISSIONER MARRY GRIFFIN.
WELCOME.
>> HI, EMILY.
>> Rooney: I REALLY WANTED
TO GO ON THAT MISSION BUT I
HAD TO DO MY RADIO SHOW
INSTEAD.
I WAS SO JEALOUS.
>> IT WAS FUN.
>> Rooney: IT IS JUST
INCREDIBLE.
I HAVE A THING ABOUT BIRDS
OF PREY, THEY ARE JUST
INCEDEABLE, MAJESTIC.
>> THEY ARE.
I'M LUCKY IN MY JOB I GET TO
GO BALD EAGLE TAGGING NOT
INFREQUENTLY BUT IT ALWAYS,
EVERY TIME I SEE THEM AGAIN
I'M AMAZED HOW BIG THEY ARE.
>> Rooney: THEY ARE HUGE.
>> AN ADULT AT MATURITY IS 8
OR 15 POUNDS THAT IS A BIG
BIRD.
>> Rooney: NOW THE TAG
ITSELF, IT'S NOT LIKE
SOMETHING THAT IS PUT ON THE
SHARKS IT IS NOT A SATELLITE,
WHAT DOES IT DO.
>> IT IS NOT A GPS OR A
FANCY TAG IT IS PART OF A
NATIONAL SYSTEM, THERE ARE
FEDERAL BANDS THEY ARE
SILVER THAT HAVE LONG SERIES
OF NUMBERS ON THEM.
AND SO WE PUT A FEDERAL TAG
ON THEM TO BE CONSISTENT
WITH WHAT IS GOING ON ACROSS
THE COUNTRY TO MONITOR THE
BALD EAGLE POPULATION.
AND WE HAVE SPECIAL STATE
TAGS WHICH ARE BRIGHT ORANGE
OR GOLD AND THOSE ARE MORE
HIGH VISIBILITY AND YOU CAN
REALLY SEE THOSE WITH A GOOD
PAIR OF BIN AGO
LORE-- BINOCULARS.
>> Rooney: HOW MUCH DO THEY
WEIGH, DO THEY BOTHER THE
BIRD.
>> THEY ARE PRETTY LIGHT.
THE TALLONS OF EVEN THE BABY
CHICKS ARE HUGE SO-- .
>> Rooney: DO THEY COME OFF
EVENTUALLY.
>> NO, WE HOPE THEY DON'T
COME OFF.
BECAUSE IT'S PRETTY HARD
WORK.
YOU SAW CURT CRIMING UP THAT
TALL PINE TREE IT IS NOT
EASY TO GET THEM DOWN AND
BAND THEM SO WE HOPE THEY
ARE ON THERE FOR THE LIFE OF
THE BIRD.
>> Rooney: HAVE THE PARENTS
OF THAT BIRD BEEN BANDED.
>> I'M NOT SURE THEY WERE.
THEY WERE UP FLYING AROUND
SO WE DIDN'T GET A CLOSE
LOOK.
>> Rooney: WERE THEY BAND
YEARS AGO.
>> IT'S POSSIBLE.
OUR RESIDENT BALD EAGLE
POPULATION WHICH IS AROUND
70 OR 80 BALD EAGLES IN THE
STATE-- .
>> Rooney: HOW DO YOU COUNT
THEM.
>> WELL, WE-- IN JANUARY WE
HAVE VOLUNTEERS FROM
ORGANIZATIONS LIKE MASS ODD
O BON, LOCAL AVID
BIRD-WATCHERS AND OUR
WILDLIFE BIOLOGIST AND WE GO
TO LOCATIONS WHERE THEY ARE
KNOWN TO BE.
WHERE THEY ARE KNOWN TO HAVE
NESTS AND WHERE THEY
OVERWINTER AND THOSE ARE THE
BIG BODIES OF WATER LIKE THE
CONNECTICUT RIVER, THE
MERRIMACK WHERE WE WERE ON
MONDAY.
YOU KNOW, IN LAKEVILLE, AT
THE POND.
THE QAUBIN, THAT WAS SORT OF
THE FIRST PLACE.
>> Rooney: THEY DON'T STAY
IN A NEST UNLESS THEY ARE
WITH CHICKS, DO THEY?
>> THEY, YOU KNOW, IN THE
WINTER THEY ARE NESTING WITH
CHICKS AND THAT'S THE MAIN
TIME WHERE THEY ARE-- .
>> Rooney: SO THESE WOULD
HAVE BEEN BORN JUST SIX
WEEKS AGO.
>> RIGHT, THEY WERE ABOUT
SIX WEEKS OLD WE THOUGHT.
AND WE THOUGHT THEY WEIGHED
8 OR 9 POUNDS.
>> Rooney: DID YOU ACTUALLY
WEIGH THEM.
>> WE DIDN'T WEIGH THIS
PAIR.
WE USUALLY DO BUT CURT WHO
SEES A LOT OF BALD EAGLES
WITH HIS JOB, HE ESTIMATED
HE THOUGHT THEY WERE AROUND
9 POUNDERS.
>> Rooney: THERE IS AND OL
WIVES TAIL IF YOU DISTURB
THE NEST, EVEN FONDLE THE
EGGS THAT THE PARENTS BIRDS
WON'T COME BACK, BUT THAT IS
NOT TRUE.
>> THAT IS NOT TRUE.
THE PARENTS WILL, THEY GET
VERY EXCITED WILE WE'RE UP
THERE AND HANDLING THE
CHICKS BUT THEY COME BACK
AND IT DOESN'T DISTURB THEM.
THEY RETURN TO THE NEST.
>> Rooney: DID YOU KNOW FOR
SURE THEY CAME BACK.
>> YES, THEY WERE IN THE
AREA AND WE SAW THEM COME
BACK CLOSER.
>> Rooney: I UNDERSTAND THE
FAMILY WANTS TO REMAIN
PRIVATE AND I CAN UNDERSTAND
THAT.
THEY DON'T WANT THE ENTIRE
STATE OF MASSACHUSETTS
DRIVING UP AND STAYING IN
THEIR BACKYARD.
BUT IS THIS THE FIRST TIME.
IT'S NOT THE FIRST TIME THIS
PAIR HAS NESTED IN THEIR
BACKYARD.
>> THEY HAVE BEEN WATCHING
THEM IN THE AREA FOR A LONG
TILE.
AND THERE ARE ACTUALLY FOUR
BALD EAGLE NESTS THAT ARE IN
THE SORT OF GENERAL AREA.
THE PEOPLE, THE AVID BIRDERS
IN OUR AGENCY KEEP PRETTY
CLOSE TABS ON ALL OF THEM SO
WE USUALLY KNOW WHERE THEY
ARE.
>> Rooney: HOW MANY CHICKS
ARE IN THE OTHERS.
>> THEY WERE STILL BANDING
THAT.
THEY HAD YET TO PUT BANDS
ON.
THEY WILL KEEP WORK ON THAT
THIS WEEK SO I WILL HAVE TO
WAIT TO HEAR FROM THE
BIOLOGIST.
>> Rooney: DO YOU KNOW WHAT
HAPPENED WITH THE ONE.
IT FELL OUT OF THE NEST OR
COULD HAVE GOTTEN BLOWN OUT
OR KICKED OUT.
>> IT A GOOD QUESTION.
THAT IS SOMETHING THAT
HAPPENS IN THE WILD.
BALD EAGLE EGGS ARE LAID NOT
ALL AT THE SAME TIME.
OVER A SERIES OF DAYS SO
USUALLY THE OLDER CHICKS
HAVE A BIT OF AN ADVANTAGE,
THEY ARE OLDER AND BIGGER
AND THERE IS A LOT OF
COMPETITION.
THIS WAS A SMALL NEST
PLATFORM SO YOU KNOW T MIGHT
HAVE GOTTEN PUSHED OUT OR
THEY SORT OF FIGHT FOR
PRIORITY AND FOOD AND THAT
KIND OF THING.
SO IT JUST, YOU KNOW, THE
WAY NATURE IS.
>> Rooney: NOW BALD EAGLES
LIKE HAWKS AND PEREGRINE
FALCONS, THEY MATE FOR LIFE.
>> THEY DO.
THEY SAY IF A BALANCE EAGLE
LOSES A MATE IT WILL FIND
ANOTHER MATE BUT AS LONG AS
THEY ARE BOTH AROUND THEY
STAY TOGETHER.
>> Rooney: BECAUSE THAT WAS
ONE THING, DO THEY STAY IN
THE NEST TOGETHER TWO, ARE
THERE TWO IN THERE WITH THE
CHICKS.
>> YES.
>> Rooney: DO THEY TAKE
TURNS TAKING OFF.
>> THE NESTS ARE TURBLY
FOUND ON THESE BIG OPEN
BODIES OF WATER WHERE THERE
IS GOOD FISHING OPPORTUNITY.
>> Rooney: THEY ARE NOT
REALLY FISHERMAN.
DON'T THEY LIKE TO TAKE,
THEY ARE SCAVENGERS MORE,
AREN'T THEY?
>> THEY ARE EXCELLENT
FISHERMAN.
FISH IS PROBABLY THEIR FOOD
OF FIRST CHOICE.
>> Rooney: WOULDN'T THEY
RATHER HAVE ONE THAT
SOMEBODY ELSE HAS ALREADY
DRAGGED ON SHORE.
>> THEY CATCH THEM OUT OF
THE WATER.
I GUESS THEY ARE SKAFFINGERS,
IF THEY HAD OTHER FISH
AROUND THEY WOULD PROBABLY
TAKE THEM.
AND THEY ALSO GO AFTER SMALL
MAMMALS LIKE MUSKRAT, THEY
WILL EAT TURTLES SOMETIMES,
ALL KINDS OF DIFFERENT FOOD
AND THEY USUALLY FIND A LOT
OF WHAT THEY HAVE BEEN
EATING IN THE NEST WHEN THEY
GO UP THERE.
>> Rooney: SO WHAT WOULD
THEY BE BRINGING INTO THE
NEST FOR THE CHICKS.
>> PROBABLY THEY WOULD BE
LOOKING FOR HERRING ON THE
MERRIMACK.
SMALL, THEY WANT MEDIUM SIZE
TO LARGE FISH.
AND SO THAT IS, AND THEY
ALSO FOUND I THINK SOME
SMALL MAMALS UP THERE LIKE-- NOT
TO GET TOO TRAFFIC.
>> Rooney: YOU HAVE TO BE
CAREFUL WITH SMALL DOGS I
WOULD THINK.
>> YEAH, I DON'T KNOW-- I
DON'T HEAR TOO MANY STORIES
OF THEM CARRYING OFF DOGS
BUT THEY ARE SIZABLE.
THEY COULD GET, YOU KNOW, A
CAT OR SOMETHING I GUESS.
BUT THEY MOSTLY GOING AFTER
SMALL MAMMALS IN THE WILD.
>> Rooney: ALL RIGHT, WELL
FASCINATING.
I'M VERY JEALOUS OF YOUR
TRIP UP THERE.
MAYBE NEXT YEAR I WILL GET
TO GO.
>> THE BEST PART IS IT IS A
GREAT RESTORATION STORY.
THE BALD EAGLE HAS REALLY
COME BACK.
>> Rooney: AFTER DDT AND ALL
THAT.
>> WE HAD NONE IN THE EARLY
1900s AND NOW WE HAVE A
GROWING POPULATION.
SO IT IS A SUCCESS STORY.
>> Rooney: AND THEY ARE ALL
OVER NEW ENGLAND.
I SAW MAYBE 8 OF THEM IN
VERMONT ONE WINTER A FEW
YEARS AGO.
STANDING OUT ON THE ICE IT
ON LAKE CHAMPLAIN.
>> THEY WERE TAKEN TAKEN
OFFER THE FEDERAL ENDANGERED
SPECIES LIST IN 2007.
>> Rooney: ALL RIGHT, GREAT
TO HAVE YOU HERE.
>> THANK YOU.
>> Rooney: WHEN WE CONTINUE,
BACK AT SEA, THE RETURN OF
SWORDFISH CAPTAIN LINDA
GREENLAW.