Farmington Bay » Every now and then during those frigid February mornings, June Ryburn wonders why she stands in a frozen marsh scanning the horizon for signs of flight. Yet for the past 18 years, Ryburn has rarely missed a chance to volunteer for Utah's annual Bald Eagle Day at Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area.
The doubts are always forgotten when she glimpses the wonder in the eyes and voices of children -- and most adults -- upon their first close-up look at a bald eagle in the wild.
"It is one thing for people to see them from a distance, but to see them where they live doing their natural thing through a spotting scope is really impressive," said Ryburn. "There are a lot of oohs and aahs. It is sometimes hard to get people to come away from the scope to let someone else have a turn."
Maybe it has something to do with the power of seeing the national symbol with a little blood on its white feathers and a Farmington Bay carp hanging from its talons.
Many Utahns are surprised to learn that bald eagles nest in the state; even more are amazed to learn about the number of the massive and impressive raptors that pass through during the migrating seasons.
Bald eagles from Canada and Alaska head south during the winter because food opportunities diminish with the snow and ice of winter. The migration can start as early as November and the eagles typically leave Utah by March.
Bob Walters, watchable-wildlife program coordinator for the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (DWR), says the number of bald eagles wintering in the state is somewhere between 750 and 1,200. That's 20 percent to 30 percent of the bald eagles west of the Rocky Mountains.
Utah wildlife officials also know of 11 nesting pairs of bald eagles scattered across the state.
"At the time I hired on during the mid-'70s, we were aware of one or two nesting pairs in the southeast part of the state," Walters said. "It has taken a long time to go to 11. It is not like they are skyrocketing to a huge number, but we are glad to have the ones we do."
One of Ryburn's favorite encounters was with a visitor who realized she could have saved a bunch of money if she had known she could have seen bald eagles in Utah.
"I had a woman say 'gee, I went clear to Alaska to see these birds and we have them right here,' " she said.
As many as 350 bald eagles have been spotted during a single Bald Eagle Day. There are almost always a dozen or so hanging around the "Eagle Trees" at Farmington Bay in February. Make sure to scan the ice as well, the eagles will stand on the frozen water for hours.
One of the reasons Farmington Bay is so attractive to eagles is the natural and unnatural carp kills. The freshwater of Farmington Bay is teeming with non-native carp; the exotic species wreak havoc on plant life which is vital to the waterfowl and shorebirds which frequent the marsh.
Natural carp kills occur when the shallow water freezes solid. To help reduce the huge numbers of carp, state wildlife officials also treat the water with rotenone. The chemical depletes oxygen from the water which kills the carp, but doesn't harm birds.
In addition to the five locations for Bald Eagle Day events, the big birds can be found at many locations across the state. They can be spotted high in the trees in many of the lower canyons of the Uinta Mountains, along the Provo, Weber, Ogden and Sevier rivers, and even in the West Desert where they pick up jackrabbit road kill to build strength for their return to the great white north.
"Like most living things, eagles are looking for that next meal, and they are primarily fish eaters. Open water with fish is absolutely irresistible to them. That's why you see so many along the marshes of the Great Salt Lake," Walters said. "They also do a fair amount of scavenging."
Walters organized the first Bald Eagle Day event in 1990 to publicize opportunities for viewing wildlife in Utah. More than 36,000 people have taken advantage of the chance to see a bald eagle with a biologist or a volunteer.
Ryburn has come to know families who show up every year for Bald Eagle Day at Farmington Bay. She has seen some participants grow from wide-eyed children to proud parents passing on their passion for eagles.
"It's important to see the eagles while you are young," Ryburn said. "People need to realize animals need a place. Wild animals are diminishing because of a loss of habitat. We need to save some spaces for the animals. When the animals are gone, the world will shut down."
Feb. 7
Fountain Green State Fish Hatchery, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. » From the north, take I-15 to the second Nephi exit (225). After exiting, turn east on SR-132 and travel about 10 miles. About one mile before the city of Fountain Green, a Bald Eagle Day sign will point you to an access road that leads to the hatchery. Once you reach the hatchery, you'll be given a driving map of the Sanpete Valley that highlights the best areas to view eagles. Literature, displays and bathroom facilities are also available at the hatchery. If eagles are near the hatchery, Division of Wildlife Resources staff will set up spotting scopes so you can view them. Spotting scopes will also be set up at a viewing location about one mile from the hatchery.
Split Mountain/Green River, north of Jensen, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. » Drive north from Highway 40 in Jensen on SR 149 to the Dinosaur National Monument Quarry. Your first stop should be at the staging area just inside the DNM boundary where displays, spotting scopes and possibly bald eagles and other raptors await. From the staging area, biologists will direct you to other sites where you may have better views of eagles and other wildlife. In past years, visitors have seen bald and golden eagles hunting and feeding, as well as prairie falcons, hawks, mule deer, river otters, pheasants, turkeys, sandhill cranes, porcupines, mergansers, Canada geese and other wildlife.
Cedar Valley, northwest of Cedar City, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. » Get off I-15 at exit 59 and travel west on SR-56 to 3900 West. Turn right and travel north to 2800 North. The viewing site is at 3900 West and 2800 North.
Feb. 14
Salt Creek Waterfowl Management Area, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. » Take exit 365 from I -15 and travel west on SR 83 through Corinne. Stay on SR 83 until you get to 6800 West (Iowa String). Travel north to 6800 North and go west until you reach the Salt Creek WMA -- Compton's Knoll Watchable Wildlife site.
Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. » From Salt Lake City, go north on I-15 to exit 324. Turn left on Park Lane and travel west. The road will angle to the south, and you'll come to Clark Lane at the first traffic light. Turn right. Travel west to the first stop sign at 1525 West, and turn left. Travel south to Glover Lane, and turn right. Travel west on Glover Lane for about two blocks until you come to 1700 West. Turn left and travel south to the Great Salt Lake Nature Center.
Feb. 7
Fountain Green State Fish Hatchery » From the north, take I-15 to the second Nephi exit (225). After exiting, turn east on SR-132 and travel about 10 miles. About one mile before the city of Fountain Green, a Bald Eagle Day sign will point you to an access road that leads to the hatchery.
Once you reach the hatchery, you'll be given a driving map of the Sanpete Valley that highlights the best areas to view eagles. Literature, displays and bathroom facilities are also available at the hatchery. If eagles are near the hatchery, Division of Wildlife Resources staff will set up spotting scopes so you can view them. Spotting scopes will also be set up at a viewing location about one mile from the hatchery.
Split Mountain/Green River » Drive north from Highway 40 in Jensen on SR 149 to the Dinosaur National Monument Quarry. Your first stop should be at the staging area just inside the DNM boundary where displays, spotting scopes and possibly bald eagles and other raptors await. From the staging area, biologists will direct you to other sites where you may have better views of eagles and other wildlife. In past years, visitors have seen bald and golden eagles hunting and feeding, as well as prairie falcons, hawks, mule deer, river otters, pheasants, turkeys, sandhill cranes, porcupines, mergansers, Canada geese and other wildlife.
Cedar Valley » Get off I-15 at exit 59 and travel west on SR-56 to 3900 West. Turn right and travel north to 2800 North. The viewing site is at 3900 West and 2800 North.
Feb. 14
Salt Creek Waterfowl Management Area (Compton's Knoll) » Take exit 365 from I -15 and travel west on SR 83 through Corinne. Stay on SR 83 until you get to 6800 West (Iowa String). Travel north to 6800 North and go west until you reach the Salt Creek WMA -- Compton's Knoll Watchable Wildlife site.
Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, 1325 W. Glover Lane (925 South) » From Salt Lake City, go north on I-15 to exit 324. Turn left on Park Lane and travel west. The road will angle to the south, and you'll come to Clark Lane at the first traffic light. Turn right. Travel west to the first stop sign at 1525 West, and turn left. Travel south to Glover Lane, and turn right. Travel west on Glover Lane for about two blocks until you come to 1700 West. Turn left and travel south to the Great Salt Lake Nature Center.
» Bald eagles are found only in North America, from Alaska and northern Canada to the Gulf of Mexico.
» The Continental Congress of the United States adopted the bird as the nation's symbol in 1782.
» The use of DDT as an insecticide caused a dramatic decline in the population of eagles in the United States. DDT was banned in 1972 and bald eagles were listed as endangered. The bald eagle was removed from the Endangered Species list in 2007.
» Utah hosts one of the largest state populations of wintering bald eagles. More than 1,200 of the birds have been counted in Utah during recent years.
» The bird has an average wingspan of 6 1/2 to 8 feet. Females and males are similar in appearance, but females are slightly larger. Bald eagles are about three feet in length from head to tail tip and weigh from 8 to 15 pounds.
» Head feathers turn white as they reach maturity at about four or five years of age.
» Bald eagles average 30 to 40 miles per hour in normal flight, but can reach speeds of up to 100 miles per hour while diving.
» The largest concentrations of wintering bald eagles in Utah occur near the Great Salt Lake and in historic roost sites of the nearby Wasatch Mountains.
» Their eyesight is five to six times more powerful than a human's, and they are capable of spotting fish and other prey at great distances.
» Studies of marked and transmitter-equipped eagles have revealed that some of Utah's wintering bald eagles nest in areas as far away as Canada's Northwest Territories.
Utah Division of Wildlife Resources
