Cape Breton's Magazine

%''.'' r >'i ' (My impression is that the young are driven from the nest and they're not allowed to re? turn to it.) They're usually driven away. Sometimes they just leave; they're not al? ways driven away, I would say. (But not per? mitted to return.) Right. (Do we know the juveniles remain around Cape Breton?) We're not sure they remain. In the summer, you don't see as many.juveniles as you do a- dults. Three years ago we averaged over two young per nest. When you consider it takes five years to reach adulthood, you'd think you'd see more juveniles than you would a- dults. In most biological populations there are more juvenile members than there are a- dults. But that's not the case. In the sum? mertime in Cape Breton, you see many more adult eagles than you see juveniles, except when it comes on to fall, when the young from that year are flying around--then you see loads and loads of young ones. Those are the birds of that year. (And we really don't know where these other juveniles are going?) No, not yet. That's one reason we are not only putting the aluminum band on them, but we're also putting a coloured marker above that so it will show up in the air. Last year we used an orange marker on the birds--tied on with the band, there's a little flag about an inch and a half long. Claymore Motel p. 0. Box 1720, Antigonish, Nova Scotia B2G 2M5 that's bright orange, so it shows up quite well. They're individually numbered, but of? ten you don't see the number; but the flag itself does show up quite readily. (It's the colour of the year?) Yes. (So even in flight you'd be able to identify if you're seeing a young from a year ago or two years ago.) That's right. We started in 1978, when we banded 21 birds in Cape Breton. The next year, 1979, we banded 73 eagles. In 1980 we banded 77. And in 1981 we banded 77. We do two flights for eagles a year. The first flight we determine how many nests are active. By active, we mean how many nests have a pair of birds in that area. Where there are two nests in a territory, there'll be one that the birds are around, so that's the active nest. The other one won't be active. But we know of both nests. And often they'll switch from one to the other, so we have to know both of them. And the second flight, we determine the success of those nests--how many of those nests that had eggs, or had adults around them, have young in them by early June. When we're doing that flight, people who do the flight note how large the young eagles are. And by that, we then make up a banding schedule. We band the largest young immedi- Phone 863-1050 - Telex 019-36567 52 Modern Rooms Licensed Dining Room and Lounge Highland Fling Shop of Interest Finest Handcrafts from Artwork to Indian Moccasins Souvenirs & Film -- As an authorized Kodak dealer, we are participating in their Sweepstakes-for- Life Contest and Kodacolour Rebate Program. Since 1968 we have been known for selection & quality. PLEASANT BAY on the CABOT TRAIL Midway Motors Ltd ' Middle River R. R. No. 3, Baddeck, Victoria Co., N. S. BOE IBO (40) Phone 295-2290 Local Dealer for TROY-BILT and GARDEN WAY Products.