Fleming College

An eaglet named Fleming is attracting a lot of attention around the Frost Campus. Fleming, a young eagle only nine weeks old, is fitted with a satellite transmitter to track her movements. The transmitter was funded by a group of Fish and Wildlife students in summer 2007.Fleming’s home nest is located on the north shore of Lake Erie west of Port Burwell. Her transmitter was attached on June 12 and staff and students can now track her movements on the Bird Studies Canada (BSC) web site www.bsc-eoc.orgThe students raised $5,341 in grants to help support the bald eagle population in southern Ontario.They became interested in fundraising for the eagles in fall 2006 after taking a Wildlife Technologies course. Within the course, students learn about satellite telemetry and the students use the BSC web site as a study tool.The group raised the funds for the transmitter through special grants from the Ministry of Natural Resources Community Fisheries and Wildlife Involvement Program and the Victoria Stewardship Council, as well as through individual donations.Now that the transmitter is in place, students at Fleming will be able to use the data and track the eagle online for a three to five-year period.About bald eaglesDespite recently being taken off the endangered species list in the United States, the southern Ontario population of bald eagles is still at risk. The eagle was officially listed as an endangered species in Ontario in 1973. Since that time, BSC has worked with all levels of government, landowners and volunteers to affect and monitor the recovery of the eagle population in southern Ontario. The population is rebounding – from zero nesting pairs in 1980 to 34 pairs last year. However, BSC is conducting research on the effect contaminants are having on the eagle population in Ontario. In collaboration with the Canadian Wildlife Service and the Ministry of Natural Resources, BSC initiated a special project in 2004 to determine where these migratory birds may be acquiring toxic chemicals. The project uses satellite telemetry to track the movements of young eagles hatched in Ontario for up to five years.   About BSCThe mission of Bird Studies Canada is to advance the understanding, appreciation, and conservation of wild birds and their habitats, in Canada and elsewhere. Bird Studies Canada is a not-for-profit organization built on the enthusiastic contributions of thousands of volunteer Citizen Scientists. Data from BSC’s volunteer surveys and targeted research projects are used to identify significant population changes and help direct conservation planning.