HIGHLAND COUNTY EAGLE SIGHTINGS WINTER 2008-09 December 1 – February 28

December 7, 2008
Time: 1100 Golden eagle John Spahr VA 640 Spahr house in New Hampden GE flew south over house.
about 1 mile SW of Blue Grass
December 8, 2009
10 Time: 0930 Golden eagle Pen Goodall West side of Collin’s Run Lane about 1 Adult GE at site where Virgil Caine
Adult mile north of US 250 was trapped March 2008.

10 Time: 0935 golden eagle Pen Goodall End of Collin’s Run Lane about 1.5 miles Different GE flew over house.
Different one north of US 250

Golden eagles (2) Pen goodall End of Collin’s Run Lane about 1.5 miles Two GE flew over house.
10 Time: 0945
Not aged north of US 250
December 9, 2009
10 Time: Golden eagle Pen Goodall Laurie Berman property about 2 miles
south of US 250

10 Time: 1130
Bald eagle
Adult
Pen Goodall US 250 at VA 601 Adult BE perched.

Golden eagle Pen Goodall End of Collin’s Run Lane about 1.5 miles Immature GE flew over Goodall farm
10 Time: 1400 immature north of US 250
December 10, 2008
1 Time: 1130 Bald eagles (3) Keith Carson Carson property north of VA 644 south Adult BE and two immature BE
Adult side Snowy Mountain perched and flew over east ridge on
2 immature Carson property.
December 14, 2008
1 Time: 1315 Golden eagles (3) Keith Carson Just north of Carson property south side Adult GE and two immature GE flew .
Adult of Snowy Mountain north of VA 644 The adult and one immature landed on
2 immature the ground briefly. One immature GE
dove repeatedly on the adult, who
would flip over on its back and extend
its talons toward the immature. This
happened three or four times, then all
birds flew north toward west sid of
Snowy Mountain.
December 19, 2008
Time: 1000 Bald eagle Julia Blanchard North side of US 84 between Mill Gap Adult BE fed on carcass.
adult Ruritian grounds and Mill Gap Supply
about 5 miles southwest of Meadowdale
 Time: 1314 Bald eagle Sandy Hevener East side US 220 7 miles north of Adult BE perched in tree overlooking
4 Adult Monterey on West Virginia Line Potomac River in dense fog.

Time: afternoon Golden eagle Julia Blanchard North side of US 84 between Mill Gap Adult GE fed on same carcass where
adult Ruritian grounds and Mill Gap Supply she saw adult BE feeding in morning.
about 5 miles southwest of Meadowdale
December 24, 2008
1 Time: 1200 Eagles (2) Keith Carson Carson property south side of Snowy Adult BE and immature GE perched in
Adult bald eagle Mountain north of VA 644 locust tree about 75 yards from Carson
Immature golden house. When observer approached
eagle with camera, eagles flew west toward
Lantz Mountain.
December 27, 2008
1 Time: 1430 Eagles (2) Keith Carson Carson property south side of Snowy Adult BE flew over Carson house and
Adult bald eagle Mountain north of VA 644 west toward Lantz Mtn. Golden eagle
Golden eagle had a gold head and some patchy
immature white at base of tail, but no visible
white underwing patches. It flew
around the east ridge on Carson
property.
December 28, 2008
1 Time: 1300 Eagles (2) Keith Carson Carson property south side of Snowy Adult BE and subadult GE flew over
Adult bald eagle Mountain north of VA 644 Cason property. BE flew toward Snowy
Subadult golden Mtn. and GE flew south over Goog
eagle Colaw property and perched in a tree.
January 3, 2009 Bald eagles (2)
9 Time: 1200 adults Sarah Ervin VA 678 south of US 250/McDowell about Two adult BE circled over ridge on
2.8 miles on Ervin property Ervin farm and then flew upstream
over the Bullpasture River.
January 7, 2009
Time: 1100 Golden eagle John Spahr In New Hampden on VA 640 about 2 GE flew over Spahr home to the south.
Not aged miles southwest of Blue Grass

Golden eagle Brenda Tekin Over Snowy Mountain Two GE flew low over ridge and
Time:
Too distant to age disappeared on other side.

Time: Bald eagle Brenda Tekin VA 642 Laurel Fork Rd. west of Blue Adult BE flew over field NNE.
adult Grass, south of Snowy Mtn.
January 10, 2009 We travelled on to Corn Valley and were
R Golden eagles (2) Tom, Hunter, Rtavis Russell County treated to quite a show. As we parked and
immature Ratliff got out of the truck to scan the mountains
Russell Co. Bird Club we saw a couple of Ravens soaring above
the ridge line. We then saw 2 immature
 Golden Eagles come out of the treeline.
One of them had a large object in his talon
and he and his companion began to play a
game. The one would soar over the ridge
then drop the object and then catch it
before it hit the ground. The companion
would follow behind and then chase the
other back over the ridge. After they tired
of the game one of the Eagles left but the
other began slowly circling the ridgeline
and of course the Ravens began chasing.
Travis and I watched a continuing dogfight
between the Eagle and the Ravens. The
Eagle would soar high with the Ravens in
pursuit and then would dive towards the
ground with 2 Ravens hot on his tail.Then
the Eagle and the Ravens would emerge
from the treeline in a vertical climb except
this time the Eagle was doing the chasing.
The number of Ravens kept increasing
until there were 12 or more still soaring
with the Eagle. Each time the Eagle would
roll onto his back with the talons up the
Ravens stopped their pursuit and
scattered. This went on for over 10
minutes and all of this time I did not see
the Golden Eagle flap his wings. It was a
spectacular exhibit of flying skills
January 12, 2009
9 Time: 1200 Bald eagles (2) Sarah Ervin VA 678 Bullpasture Rd. about 2.8 miles Two adult BE circled over farm then
adults south of US 250/McDowell flew up river, north.
January 15, 2009
4 Time: 0830 Bald eagle Patti Reum US 220 about 5.5 miles north of Adult BE perched near trout hatchery.
adult Monterey at Monterey Trout hatchery
January 17, 2009
4 Time: 0915 Bald eagle John Spahr, Josephine US 220 north of Monterey about 5.5 Adult BE perched in tree high over
Adult King,and members of miles at Monterey Trout Hatchery hatchery. Observers got out of vehicles
Augusta Bird Club, and watched about 20 minutes while
Bath/Highland Bird the eagle never moved. The eagle
Club stayed perched even when an
employee threw food pellets into
troughs.
 Time:
8 Bald eagle Brenda Tekin, Mr. US 220 about 15.5 miles south of
adult Tekin & friends Monterey just south of Bath Co. line
Time:
5 Bald eagle
adult
Brenda Tekin, Mr.
Tekin & friends
US 220 at US 84 about 5 miles south of
Monterey
Adult BE flew NE over US 220
January 19, 2009
1 Time: 1400 Golden eagle John Spahr vVA 640 Wimer Mnt. Rd. east side GE flew over Wimer Mtn. Rd. and west
Snowy Mountain toward Snowy Mtn.
January 28, 2009
Time: 0830 Golden eagles (2) Robin Vance VA 678 Bullpasture Rd. about 2.8 miles Two GE at Sarah & Dale Irvin farm
Sub adults south of US 250/McDowell
February 3, 2009
5 Time: 0930 Bald eagle Bill Wagner East side US 220 about 5.4 miles south Adult BE perched in tree while it
Adult of Monterey snowed.

1 Time: 1400
Bald eagle
adult
Keith Carson Carson property south side of Snowy
Mtn. VA 644
Adult BE soared then flew SWS up
Blue Grass Valley
February 6, 2009
1 Time:1230 Golden eagle Keith Carson Carson property south side of Snowy Immature GE soared north of property
immature Mtn. VA 644 toward Snowy Mtn then flew west
toward the gap between Lantz Mtn.
and Snowy Mtn.
February 9, 2009
1 Time:1300 Bald eagle Keith Carson West of VA 640 near VA 641 Ruckman Adult BE perched in tree.
adult Lane
February 13, 2009
X Nest tree gone Anonymous Nest #2 HI-06-01 Caller reported nest tree wasn’t just
gone, but someone cut it down.
Highland Eagle Survey team passed
on information to Wildlife Services
which sent an investigator out
February 24. (See February 24th
entry.) Survey team, WS investigator,
caller and two other residents verified
the cut tree. The group found the felled
tree and evidence of the nest from it in
the ravine.
 February 14, 2009
1 Time: a.m. Golden eagle Rexanne Bruno and VA 644 west side Snowy Mountain Adult GE soared over west side Snowy
adult other members of Mountain.
Lynchburg Bird Club

golden eagles (2) Rexanne Bruno and VA 640 east side Snowy Mountain Juvenile and second year GE soared
1 Time: a.m. Juvenile other members of east Side Snowy Mountain
Second year Lynchburg Bird Club

1 Time: a.m. Bald eagle Rexanne Bruno and VA 640 east side Snowy Mountain
adult other members of
Lynchburg Bird Club

Time: p.m. Eagles Rexanne Bruno and VA 640 about six miles north of US 84
3 February 14, 2009 Golden adult
Bald 2nd year
other members of the
Lynchburg Bird Club
Time: 1500 Golden eagle Keith Carson Carson property south side of Snowy Adult GE soared over property moved
1 adult Mtn. VA 644 SW up the valley.

February 19, 2009

5 Time: 1600 Bald eagle Keith Carson East side US 220 south of Monterey 5.4 Adult BE perched in tree next to
adult miles Jackson River.
Feb. 21, 2009
Time: 1015 Golden eagle John Koger US 84 one mile south of Mill Gap Store Adult GE ate on carcass.
Immature
Time: 1500 Golden eagle Val Kitchens, 11 VA 644 Hardscrable Rd at base of Immature GE flew over Snowy Mtn.
1 Immature members of N VA Bird
club
Snowy Mtn.

Feb 22, 2009

1 Time: 1100 Bald eagles (4) John Spahr, N. VA Bird VA 640 & VA 643 Laurel Fork Rd at Bald eagles did aerial display over
3 adult Club members Hevener Lane junction of roads. GEflew over Wimer
1 immature Mtn Rd VA 640.
Golden eagle

1 Time: 1330 Golden eagle Keith Carson Carson property south of Snowy Mtn. VA Immature GE soared over property
immature 644 then flew off to west toward Lantz Mtn.
February 24, 2009
X Time: Bald eagle Wildlife Services Possible nest # HI—09-01 Adult BE with nesting material flew into
investigator trees near destroyed nest # Hi-0601.

1 Time: 1400
Golden eagle
adult
John Spahr, Keith
Carson, Bob Ake
Top of Hardscrabble Road at turnout on
VA-WV line
Adult GE flew from east to west over
east side Lantz Mtn. west of Snowy
 Mtn.

February 28, 2009

1 Time: Golden eagles (3) David Johnston & Cape VA 644 top of Hardscrabble One adult GE
2 adults Henry Audubon Society
immature
VA 640 Wimer Mtn. south of Margaret One adult GE and immature GE
O’Bryan’s place