As we are all aware by now, since June 2017, D24’s satellite
transmitter has not fully recharged as it should due to an unexplainable
glitch in the transmitter. This has resulted in intermittent data
since then, with a few “hits” in July (when we had ou
r
last visual of him), September, November, December, and the most
recent, January 3 and 4, 2018. All of these points have come from an
area 5-10 miles south of Decorah. Even though we did not have data for
the last several days, I decided my technician, Bob, and I would take
some time and drive to that area and search for a VHF signal from D24’s
backpack transmitter. Conditions were favorable: it was early enough and
cloudy enough that D24 would likely not be soaring, which makes
tracking difficult. Even if the satellite transmitter is not sending
data, if we could get within approximately two miles of D24, we should
hear the constant VHF signal with the hand held receiver and antenna set
to its frequency.
Once we
got to Ossian, Iowa, we were on the eastern edge of his recent
locations. We stopped a couple of times to check for a signal, but
heard nothing. By the third stop we had a strong signal. We were able
to quickly determine D24’s current location, east of Calmar, Iowa. He
was with several other Bald Eagles, both adults and immatures, and was
only 25 yards from the road in a wooded swale. D24 looks great. He has a
dark chest patch and his belly is much lighter. His eye and beak are
still brown, but the horn color is beginning to show on his beak. When
he flew across the road to another perch his plumage appeared complete
(i.e. we did not observe gaps in the wing or tail feathers). We
received satellite data this morning (Wednesday) that showed he spent
the rest of the day and night within two miles of where we spotted him
late Tuesday morning.
It was a successful and gratifying trip,
seeing D24 looking good and hanging out with other eagles not far from
his natal area."
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