BERLIN CENTER — Counting the number of bald eagles each January is a matter of tracking the progress of eagle restoration, but also a matter of keeping America’s favorite bird in the public eye, said Jason Quinn, Berlin Lake Army Corps of Engineers resource manager.

“People love to see them and love to watch them,” said Quinn of the birds. He said eagle restoration has been successful in large part because of public support.

The 2020 count at Berlin Lake, a multi-organizational effort through the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, the Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and volunteers, recently identified three adult bald eagles. That number is down from recent years, when about 10 eagles were counted — but still a marked improvement from the mid-20th century, when bald eagles were considered an endangered species.

According to ODNR, in 1979 there were just four bald eagle nests in Ohio. Federal protections such as the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act, originally enacted in 1940, made it illegal to disturb bald eagles.

The birds were removed from the federal list of endangered species in 2007 and from the Ohio listing in 2012. By 2018, ODNR estimated there were more than 280 nests in the state, with mature eagles raising nearly 450 young.

“They just exploded with population over the past 15 years,” said Quinn. He said efforts to protect bald eagle habitats have been successful.

Quinn said this year’s below-average count of eagles may have been in part due to a lack of ice on the lake.

“When there’s no ice on the lake, it disperses them,” said Quinn. When the lake partially freezes, eagles are forced to fish in the patches of open water, concentrating them in one place — and making them easier to spot.

THE COUNT

At Trumbull County’s Mosquito Creek Reservoir, the eagle survey, held on the same day last Friday, identified a soaring 27 bald eagles — up from 18 eagles last year and seven in 2018. Bill Spring, Mosquito Creek Reservoir Army Corps of Engineers resource manager, said the numbers are reflective of a statewide increase in bald eagle population.

“In Ohio we have seen a dramatic increase in bald eagles that are not only visiting the area, but also nesting there,” said Spring.

He said 13 of the bald eagles identified at Mosquito were sub-adults, which are often confused with hawks or other types of eagles because they do not yet have their distinctive white heads, which happen around 4 to 5 years of age.

Spring said he thought the count at Mosquito was relatively accurate, despite the possibility of double-counting birds and the inevitability that not every bird will be seen.

“You know, we’re not going to see them all. It’s just not possible. There’s also the small possibility of double counting. As we know, bald eagles fly and they’re not always stationary,” said Spring. He said the counting team made an effort not to double-count, omitting a few birds they were relatively certain had already been tallied.

Quinn said Army Corps. lakes in the district try to do the survey on one day to help cut down on the possibility that neighboring lakes — such as Berlin and Michael J. Kirwan, which are only about a dozen miles apart — count the same eagles.

“An adult [eagle], they do their hunting and fishing in a 100-mile radius of where their nest is. So, you know, you could be looking at the same bird in relatively close projects like this,” said Quinn.

BALD EAGLES

Spring said bald eagles tend to mate for life. They build a nest and produce two to three offspring per year. Younger eagles are often migratory before they find a mate.

“They’ll migrate back and forth from here to Central America, even South American,” said Spring.

He said the birds are “not very good hunters” and as much as 80 percent of their diet comes from scavenging food.

“Believe it or not, their diet comes from road kill and deaths that didn’t come from their own hand,” said Spring.

Quinn said the birds also fish for food.

Spring said the eagle survey helps keep tabs on biodiverisity, which is important for an ecosystem.

“The more diverse our ecosystem is, the healthier it can be and the more it will flourish for generations to enjoy,” said Spring. “It’s also a big economic factor…if we didn’t have a beautiful lake, great fishing and recreation opportunities, it would affect the economy of the area.”

Quinn said Berlin Lake attracts many professional birders, who put in long hours with their spotting scopes to keep tabs on the birds and their behavior.

“Most of the ones who are avid birders, they know where the nests are and they know what they’re looking for,” said Quinn.

The general population loves seeing bald eagles, too, said Quinn.

At Mosquito Creek Lake, Spring said he hopes to turn next year’s eagle survey into a public event, with the survey on aFriday and a “Bald Eagle Fest” on a Saturday.

avugrincic@tribtoday.com