Hawk Watch feeds eagle research in Ramona
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Falconer Kailyn Franz with her BFF, Myrtle. Photo: Courtesy of Mary Lang
Hundreds of people got to see hawks, owls and falcons up close and personal during weekly Hawk Watch events in Ramona over the last two months.
Why it matters: These free events are a chance to get a good look at some really cool birds, but they also serve a larger purpose: raising awareness and money for local golden eagle research and conservation.
Catch up quick: Hawk Watch is organized by the nonprofit Wildlife Research Institute, or WRI, and is held on the private Begent Ranch.
- Falconers come and show off their predator birds, including a red-tailed hawk and peregrine falcon.
- Falconer = someone who's licensed to capture, raise and train raptors like hawks and falcons to hunt.
- The nonprofit Critter Encounters also brings other furry or scaly friends like possums, lizards and rabbits.
Soar out: Hawk Watch overlooks a hotspot for raptors in the Ramona Grasslands, and after the program, you go with WRI staff to nearby Rangeland Road to look for the birds through spotting or binoculars.
- "This is all habitat for sensitive species up the wazoo," WRI research director Katie Quint told Axios, from the tiny fairy shrimp to the massive golden eagle.
- Other sensitive species just waiting to be watched include the Stephens' kangaroo rat, western burrowing owl, arroyo toad, western spadefoot, Crotch's bumblebee and grasshopper sparrow, she said.
💠Claire's thought bubble: Last month, I got to check out a Hawk Watch and meet falconer Kailyn Franz, who walked out with a red-tailed hawk on her gloved arm.
- The massive bird was on a leash attached to a thin strap of leather called a jess on his foot, and kept trying to fly off to hunt squirrels, Franz said.
- She also brought out Myrtle, a peregrine falcon, who was making cooing noises at Franz.
- That apparently meant Myrtle thought she and Franz were on a date.
- Afterwards, we drove out to see the nesting area, and I got to see a bald eagle taking a bath in a pond.
I'm not a big bird lover, but it was incredible to see these raptors up close (their claws are so big!). My son also really enjoyed getting to play in WRI's life-size replica eagle nest.
Flashback: WRI has done surveys of golden eagle breeding since 1988, and has one of the longest-running databases of golden eagle populations in the country, dating back to the 1800s, Quint said.
- That data is used to enforce a 1-mile buffer around golden eagle nests during breeding season.
That's because golden eagles need a lot of space away from humans to nest.
Friction point: Quint said they worked with other conservation groups to form the Golden Eagle Alliance (which sounds like a Marvel superhero squad) to push San Diego County to reroute a trail through the Ramona Grasslands Preserve because it was too close to the Bandy Canyon nesting cliff used by golden eagles.
- A new portion of the rerouted trail will reopen on Friday.
What they're saying: "As a precaution the trail was closed seasonally while we monitored the eagles," county spokesperson Donna Durckel told Axios in an email. "Data has since showed this trail did not impact the eagles."
- The new trail will protect the eagles and will connect Ramona Grasslands Preserve to the Coast-to-Crest Trail, she said.
WRI also works on teaching people how rat poison can work its way up the food chain and kill hawks, eagles and falcons.
What's next: WRI is starting its annual helicopter survey of eagles this month and is planning for their Earth Day event on April 25 at the Begent Ranch, where people can learn about raptors.