Tag Archives: monofilament line at Dale Hollow

Some support for Middle Little

4 April 2022

UPDATE: I have just heard from Jessica Halls at the American Eagle Foundation. They are on standby to do the rescue once the thumbs up from TN is given. They are awaiting permission from the Army to enter the site.

This morning I received two positive e-mails from individuals who are going into action for the little eaglet at Dale Hollow. I want to thank Ron Magill of the Miami Zoo who rescued R2 just ten days ago, the eaglet of Ron and Rita’s who had monofilament line wrapped around its legs. Ron sent the information about the eaglet to the Reese Collins, the Eagle Permit Holder for the USFWS. She has alerted the proper individuals in Tennessee. One of you made a video of the line and I thank you. I have sent it to Reese to confirm the continuing presence of the line. I am also attaching the letter received from Ron Magill and from Reese Collins because each of you cared and in your own way have worked hard to get help for Little Middle. I continue to say, we just have to find the right person. Ron Magill’s love of eagles and his recent rescue bring the urgent understanding to this issue.

This is the letter from Ron Magill:

“I apologize for not getting back to you sooner but I was away for the weekend and just saw your email.  With that said, I am so sorry to hear of the eaglet at Dale Hollow that is entangled in monofilament line.

Though I don’t know of anyone in the Tennessee/Kentucky area who may be able to assist with that issue, I have copied Resee Collins from the USFWS who is the best eagle expert I know and who first introduced me to bald eagles decades ago.  She is the Eagle Permit Coordinator for the USFWS and I reach out to her whenever I have an eagle question or concern.  Though I am not sure if there is anything that can be done for this bird, she would be my best bet for any guidance.

No matter what the outcome of this situation at the Dale Hollow nest, I want to express my heartfelt thanks to you for caring enough to try to help.  It is the passionate concern of individuals like yourself that helps inspire people to care and it is appreciated very much by all of us who know how special these majestic raptors are.  I don’t want you ever to think that your efforts are not making a difference.

I hope and pray that the situation at Dale Hollow has a positive resolution.”

This is the immediate response from Reese Collins:

“Mary— Thank you for your concern for this eaglet and for helping to promote wildlife education through this online eagle nest cam experience at Dale Hollow. It certainly is distressing when humans directly or indirectly cause impacts to bald eagle nests, such as this instance with discarded fishing line attached to a fish that was brought to the nest by the adult birds and subsequently the younger eaglet became entangled in. You rightly expressed concern for the eaglet’s survival in this condition, since the fishing line has the potential to impair circulation and cause neurological damage and/or prevent the eaglet from being able to fledge successfully.

Have you observed additional video of the younger eaglet in this nest and if so, is it still entangled and the line cutting the skin of the eaglet as stated below? I’ve been to the website several times this morning, but both eaglets have been inactive and lounging in the nest, so was unable to confirm if this situation is still ongoing or if the eaglet was able to get itself untangled over the weekend. 

By virtue of this email, I am bringing this situation to the attention of Jessica Hall, Executive Director of the American Eagle Foundation in Pigeon Forge TN and Rusty Boles, the Captive Wildlife/ADC Coordinator for Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency in Nashville, TN.  The American Eagle Foundation is the state’s leading eagle expert (although they are over 2 hours away; perhaps they would know of a contact closer to this location) and any granted access to an active eagle nest would have to be coordinated through TWRA’s Rusty Boles. 

The Service would support a rescue of the eaglet if it is still entangled in the fishing line and it appears to be causing a medical issue as long as the state wildlife agency supports the rescue (Rusty Boles with TWRA) and a federally permitted wildlife rehabilitator such as American Eagle Foundation is on site for the rescue. In similar cases of fishing line entanglement, we have recommended that while the rescuer was retrieving the eaglet, that any other litter that’s accessible in the nest posing a potential risk to the adult or nestling eagles be removed as well. Fortunately, these eaglets are at a young enough age that typically they would just flatten down defensively in the nest and not jump out. This certainly is a teachable moment for your viewers about the perils that discarded litter can cause wildlife.”

You just need to find the right person who understands and is willing to help. I am so grateful to Ron Magill and to Reese this morning. Reese is on standby to go into action once Rusty Bowles gets the go ahead. I wish you could see the tears and the smile on my face!!!!!!!! As you may be aware the individuals that run the camera do not own the land nor do they own the eagles who are protected and as you can see from the attitudes of those highest in the USFWS they want DH15 saved from the line. I am more hopeful than I have been.

You will note that the head of permits does require the state of Tennessee to agree. I want you also to please see that the experts state as we have that the eaglets will flatten down and not jump. They call this a teachable moment. It is and will give joy to us if this happens.

Thank you again to all of the readers of my blog. You care and together we can work to make things happen! I hope that those individuals who contacted me are able to make the intervention!

Oh, Little Middle how smart you are!

31 March 2022

The day did not start off looking good for Little Middle at the Dale Hollow Bald Eagle nest. Little Middle was not interested in eating and had monofilament line wrapped around the toes of its left foot since the previous afternoon. That tight line can clearly be seen at 08:28:09.

Little Middle missed the morning breakfast because of that fishing line. He was pecking away at it.

At 09:37ish, Little Middle has moved over to the rim of the nest next to Big who did eat breakfast. The remaining fish is on the other side of Big. It is unclear if Little Middle’s foot is still tangled. He is not wanting to move much and I cannot see. Little Middle is hungry! And we know how clever he is. Have a look at what he does – I am so proud of him.

If he held the fish down, it would officially be self-feeding I suppose. But for now, give the kid a round of applause. Brilliant.

By 11am, the filament on Little Middle’s foot has been cut by the little eaglet persistently biting away at it. Another gold star for the middle hatch at the Dale Hollow nest today!

The monofilament line can be seen to the left of Little Middle’s right foot. Thankfully it is off his left foot but neither eaglet is out of danger as long as that line is on the nest.

It has been a joyful day.

Thank you to each and every one of you who sent positive wishes and prayers to this nest, to ‘L’ who contacted A Cerere to see if he could help, and to ‘KB’ who put out feelers for help. Your optimism gives me hope that this little eaglet is, indeed, going to fly one day!

Thank you to Dale Hollow Bald Eagles for their streaming cam where I took my screen captures and video clip.

Fishing Line wrapped around Little Middle’s leg/s at Dale Hollow: updated

A big thank you to Carol Moore of Wildlife Matters in Kentucky. She responded to my note about Little Middle. She has reached out to the Raptor Centre who will contact the US Fish and Wildlife Service. A permit is required and they are normally given quickly in a human caused instance. It was within hours for the Captiva Bald Eagles that had fishing line that CROW removed. Let us hope that something can be done to help Little Middle, DH15.

30 March 2022

If you happened to tune in to chat at the Dale Hollow nest after 10:36 when River brought a big fish on to the nest, you will have noticed the moderators talking about the fish hook and line. The hook was in the side of the fish with a long line that ultimately became wrapped around Little Bit’s leg!!!!!!!!!! My hurt sunk to my toes.

What got me was the statements being made that ‘no one would do anything’. According to the moderators the nest actually belongs to the Army Corp of Engineers. But the statements – again made by chatters – included if they go up there to take out the line the parents will not take care of the eaglets anymore. Wildlife rehabbers are often great tree climbers and get to nests that are completely inaccessible by machine. Perhaps there is no one in the area to do this? If you can maintain the camera, though is there not a way to the nest? I am curious why there is not a plan in place should something like this happen. It is a perfectly legal cause to go to the nest.

River has broken the line and taken away the hook but Little Middle is still tangled in line.

How many of you can name an intervention that took place this week that was caused by fishing line? to a nest with eaglets that could fledge? was that intervention successful? If you said Ron Magill at the WRDC nest with R2 you would be correct. R2 fledged, broke the line but still had line. R2 was retrieved and the line removed. Here is the video of its return to the nest.

How many of you can name a non-human caused intervention where the nestlings were away for nearly a week and the parents returned immediately to care for them when they were returned to the nest?

Can you name an Osprey nest in Florida where CROW went up and removed a hook and fishing line last year? Just see how quick it was!

Does anyone remember the two individuals who went out and rescued the adopted chick placed in a nest who subsequently fell into the water? If you said Patuxent in Maryland you would be correct. There are interventions everywhere every day. Fishing line was removed from one of the Alberta osprey nests last summer – I have forgotten which one. The Montana Osprey Project was busy removing baling twine last year from osplets. There are also nests in the wild that have tragedies that we will never know about.

Eagles and Ospreys fall under the same rules. Human caused interventions are allowed but require permission. In terms of fishing line it should be easy. It is a quick fix to save an eaglet’s life. Ask Ron Magill if you don’t believe me!

You probably know of a number of sites where you have seen an intervention. Let me know.

River is staring at the fishing line that is wrapped around Little Middle.

River is clearly aware that these things should not be in the nest. Will she be able to save Little Middle? so its legs are not injured. Send your positive wishes. If you happen to live in the area of Dale Hollow Lake and know the wildlife rehabbers there, you might want to give them a call and see if it is possible for them to intervene.

Last year many of us phoned Patuxent amongst other sites. It was those calls that got action and saved the Osprey in Maryland. II don’t actually ‘get’ the inaction amongst the Dale Hollow group. I am hoping that they just don’t know about the other interventions and what could happen here to help Little Middle.