Eagles & Ag 2024 - Report

Eagles & Ag (Agriculture) is an event in the Minden area which spans an extended weekend when cows are giving birth to their calves.  It gives people an opportunity to visit a normally off-limits private ranch property and photograph (or simply observe) the calves and the raptors or scavengers who come to feed on the afterbirth.  On February 10, a couple of LAS volunteers guided a morning group and provided scopes for people to look through.  A bus took us around to three private ranches and one historic ranch that's open to the public, the Dangberg Home Ranch Historic Park.  One immature Golden Eagle was spotted (they usually stay closer to the mountains), as well as 11 Bald Eagles, with almost a 3-to-1 ratio of immature to mature Bald Eagles.  Other notable species from the 22-species morning total included dozens of Red-tailed Hawks, one Ferruginous Hawk, three Cooper's Hawks, two Northern Harriers, an American Kestrel, a Barn Owl, three Great Blue Herons, and dozens of ravens, magpies and blackbirds (with three Yellow-headed among the Red-winged, Brewer's, cowbirds and starlings).  While on the bus between ranches, we were entertained by 2 "BS" guides, who had many interesting stories to tell.  Watching the young calves take their first steps was pretty amazing. - Report by Linda St-Cyr

Bald Eagle by Brian Meltzner