If you kill

New federal rule on killing eagles--"There's a lot of good news here."

 

It's a good thing these birds are "protected."  I'd hate to think how many would be killed if they weren't. 

The Obama administration is revising a federal rule that allows wind-energy companies to operate high-speed turbines for up to 30 years, even if means killing or injuring thousands of federally protected bald and golden eagles.

Under the plan announced Wednesday, companies could kill or injure up to 4,200 bald eagles a year without penalty -- nearly four times the current limit. Golden eagles could only be killed if companies take steps to minimize the losses, for instance, by retrofitting power poles to reduce the risk of electrocution. (Fox News, May 4, 2016)

https://www.fws.gov/midwest/midwestbird/eaglepermits/bagepa.html 

 http://www.newsmax.com/Newsfront/US-Wind-Energy-Eagle-Deaths/2016/05/05/id/727407/

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The eagle has landed

Last year a pair of eagles began nesting in an old hawks' nest in the trees along Alum Creek behind the building where our friend and artist Charlie Rowland works. This year, the hawks reclaimed the nest until the eagles returned and chased them off. The hawks don't give up easily and have been trying to dislodge the eagles for a couple of weeks, without success, according to Charlie. Here are some ODNR photos. In one, the hawk has swooped down on the eagle, and the eagle has turned on his back in mid air to flash his talons. The hawks will go up to about 200 ft and then dive on the eagle. Charlie says he's betting on the eagle.