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Clinton County First
Bald
Eagle Nesting Near Cowan Lake State Park
WILMINGTON,
OH - A bald eagle nest has been confirmed on private property
near Cowan
Lake State Park; a first in modern history for Clinton County according
to the
Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of
Wildlife.
Bald
eagles, officially downlisted in 2008 from a state endangered species
to a
threatened species in Ohio, are a wildlife management success
story. In
1979 there were only 4 nesting pairs remaining in the state.
Through
restoration efforts by the Division of Wildlife it is estimated that
321eaglets
fledged from 213 nests across the state during the 2012 nesting season.
The
eagles will continue to be protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty
Act of
1918, with additional protection under the Bald Eagle Protection Act.
These acts
protect the nesting location and tree as well as the bird. The public
is asked
to refrain from walking around the nest tree. Killing any threatened or
endangered species can result in a significant criminal charge and fine.
“Cowan
Lake is a great place to view bald eagles,” said Brett Beatty, wildlife
management supervisor for the Division of Wildlife. “We hope
the
community will take advantage of this added opportunity to get an even
closer
look at this majestic bird as they visit the lake this year”. Beatty
also
confirmed that while the birds may be viewed hunting and perching along
Cowan
Lake the nest is located on private property adjacent to the park and
that the
public should respect the landowners privacy. All laws
protecting the
bird and nests do apply and visitors to the park should not try to
approach the
nest.
Ohio’s
Bald Eagle Management Program is funded by donations to the Endangered
Species
and Wildlife Diversity Fund. Individuals can contribute by
checking the
ODNR Division of Wildlife’s line on their Ohio State Income Tax Form
and by
purchasing a Wildlife Conservation license plate featuring the cardinal
or bald
eagle.
For
more information on bald eagles in Ohio visit www.wildohio.com
. For more information on Cowan Lake
and wildlife viewing opportunities the park can be reached at Caesar
Creek Park
Office 513-897-3055.
Editors
note: The attached photos were selected from WildOhio.com.
They are not
the Cowan Lake pair but are very representative of nesting eagles found
throughout Ohio.
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