Macatawa Bald Eagles
Bald eagles have been appearing around Lake Macatawa in Holland,
Michigan for a number of winters. In 1968 when I took an ornithology
course at MSU there were only 500 nesting pairs of these regal birds
in the continental US. Now there are about 5,000 nesting pairs. The
decline of their population was first addressed with The Bald Eagle
Protection Act of 1940. This year was my first opportunity to observe
the bald eagles. In mid-January some of my friends had reported
spotting as many as eighteen eagles in a group. The extreme cold of
this winter has driven the bald eagles south from their normal open
water hunting areas. By the middle of February their numbers
dwindled as the ice engulfed all but the east end of the lake near the
power plant. On my visits to Lake Macatawa in February I generally
saw about a half dozen eagles.
It was indeed exciting to watch these eagles fly and play. I expect the
immature bald eagles joust and spar to polish their flying and hunting
skills as many other species do. Often when an immature eagle caught
a fish the other immature eagles would try to rip the prey from its
talons. However seldom would the immature eagles try to steal from
an adult. After capturing the fish (steelhead most of the time) the
birds would hold their clutch tightly up under the tail to prevent a
theft.
It is breath taking to watch these huge birds fly so effortlessly. The
power of their wing strokes surpasses all other raptors. Even with
twenty mile an hour plus winds, when ducks and geese were blown
about these eagles navigated using their wing mass to control their
flight.
The best place to observe the eagles is from Dutton Park in Holland
next to the Pfizer plant off Howard Street. With winter coming to a
close, as the ice clears the eagles will return to their open hunting
waters of the north. If you have the patience to wait with a good pair
of binoculars, you will be rewarded with an unforgettable experience.
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