Annual Midwinter Bald Eagle Watch at Abiquiu Lake

Published Dec. 19, 2017
ABIQUIU LAKE, N.M. – One of the bald eagles spotted during the annual Midwinter Eagle Watch, Jan. 7, 2017. Cerro Pedernal is seen in the background.

ABIQUIU LAKE, N.M. – One of the bald eagles spotted during the annual Midwinter Eagle Watch, Jan. 7, 2017. Cerro Pedernal is seen in the background.

Abiquiu, N.M. -- The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at Abiquiu Lake will be hosting its annual Midwinter Eagle Watch event on Saturday, Jan. 6, 2018, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. The event is open to the public and volunteers will be meeting at the Abiquiu Lake Project Office. Doors will open at 9:00 a.m. The beginning of the event will start off with the Wildlife Center presenting a short educational program on bald eagles, featuring their non-releasable bald eagle, Maxwell. It will be an excellent opportunity to view a mature bald eagle up close. Also, hot coffee and snacks will be available.

The purpose of the eagle watch event is gather individuals to help count eagles along standard, non-overlapping survey routes as part of a nationwide Midwinter Bald Eagle survey. It’s also a great opportunity to encourage shared environmental stewardship efforts with the public to promote wildlife conservation. Volunteers are asked to dress warmly and bring binoculars, notepads, and drinking water.

National Wildlife Federation officials have asked participants in each state to count eagles along standard routes to provide data on count trends. The basic objectives of the survey are to index the total wintering bald eagle populations in the lower 48 states, determine eagle distribution during a standardized survey period, and to identify previously unrecognized areas of important winter habitat.

The annual midwinter survey represents a unique source of long-term, baseline data. Unlike nesting surveys, it provides information on both breeding and non-breeding segments of the population at a potentially limiting time of the year. The count has become a national tradition since 1984, and is an annual event at Abiquiu Lake. In addition to providing information on eagle trends, distribution, and habitat, the count has helped to create public interest in bald eagles and their conservation.

The project office is located on Hwy 96 just 2 miles west of the Hwy 84 junction. For additional information, call the Abiquiu Lake Project Office at 505-685-4371.

Contact
Nathaniel Naranjo
505-685-4371
nathaniel.i.naranjo@usace.army.mil
505-685-4647 (fax)

Release no. 17-008