Bald Eagle Time
by Riverwalk Birding Club
posted October 14, 2008
Each fall around mid-October the winter population of Bald Eagles start arriving on Chickamauga Lake, this is the time also that Riverwalk Bird Club members Charles and Dreama Dean start daily checks on their good Eagle spots around Chattanooga to see if any Bald Eagles have arrived. Many people are not aware that we have Bald Eagles in Chattanooga, we have many that winter here, plus we have an active nest site on Racoon Mountain and The Hiwassee River. Another Riverwalk Bird Club member, Doug Geren has been tracking Eagles that roost in the North Chickamauga Creek gorge near Soddy for many years, he counts them going to roost at sundown and again leaving at sunup to return to their hunting grounds on Chickamauga Lake, sometimes as many as twenty.
This past weekend Charles and Dreama checked a couple spots and located two” sub-adults 1’s” perched in a tall pine tree near the lake, Charles believes we have some year round residents, but the majority are migrants that choose to stop here because Lake Chickamauga is perfect for wintering Bald Eagles as the winters are mild with no freez-ups, and it has plenty of prey with fish and Coots. Others believe the arrival of the aquatic vegetation Milfoil in the TVA lakes in the early 70’s brought the Coots to these lakes and the Eagles followed their food supply as they feed on both the fish and Coots.
Chester Frost Park is a good location to see Bald Eagles, Chickamauga Dam had one perched just upstream on Monday, all winter you may see them from the Riverwalk perched along the north shore of the TN River between Chickamauga Dam and downtown Chattanooga. While you are enjoying the TN Riverwalk keep a sharp eye out for the white head of the Bald Eagle in the trees, in the meantime we hope you enjoy these photo’s of the young Bald Eagles made by Charles and Dreama Dean this past weekend.
Good Birdin’
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