On May 5, 2010 the Center for Conservation Biology at the College of William and Mary (CCB) fitted the oldest eaglet with a backpack-style transmitter. The transmitter is equipped with a solar powered battery that will collect data for the 3-year tracking project that answers the age old question, “Where do these eagles go after they leave their nest?”
With the assistance of Nuckols Tree Care, Dr. Bryan Watts, CCB Director, scaled the 80 foot tall Loblolly Pine tree and climbed into the nest to safely remove all three almost full-grown eaglets. Libby Mojica, Research Biologist with the CCB carefully hooded the birds. The younger two birds were fitted with identification bands and the transmitter was attached to the oldest eaglet’s back, making sure it was secure enough to stay on, yet loose enough for growth. This eaglet was given the identifcation name of "Camellia" for the tracking project.
While the CCB has tracked many eagles from the northern regions of the Chesapeake Bay, this is the only the second eagle from the Hampton Roads to be a part of the research. Last year, an eaglet from this same nest was fitted witht the first transmitter. The transmitter will follow the movements after the eagle fledges from the nest. It will also provide educational information about bird migration and eagle ecology, as well as the foraging and roosting behaviors of the eagles in the bay area.
All photos on this page courtesy of Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries.
 Climbing to the nest |
 Banding the middle eaglet - ND |
 Identification bands on the youngest eaglet - ID band NE |
 Banding the youngest eaglet - NE |
 Satellite transmitter |
 Fitting the transmitter on the oldest eaglet - ID band NC |
 Fitting the transmitter |
 Eaglet close up - mouse over image to see nictitating membrane |
