MnGCA

Wayfarin Stranger · Geocacher Joined: 01 Apr 2003 Posts: 122

In case anyone may be interested, there is an eagle's aerie about a mile south of the I35 split on the east side of 35W right near where Rice Creek crosses. I have been watching this nest for the last 3 years as I have been driving by and nesting season is here again for these beautiful creatures. Yesterday I saw the pair mating near the nest and I'm sure eggs will be laid shortly. Last year 2 fledged and the year before, they were around, but did not use that particular aerie.
About the only way to observe is while driving by as there is no place to stop.
Xcel Energy has a great bird cam site here
in case anyone wants to check it out. I set Xcel as my home browser page this time every year. Excellent bird cam site.

Wayfarin Stranger · Geocacher Joined: 01 Apr 2003 Posts: 122

<----<<< link

5savages · Geocacher Joined: 13 Feb 2005 Posts: 204

Thanks for the info! I'll have to check it out next time I drive by. Last week I saw a bald eagle flying over the I-35W Minnesota River bridge. It's great to see them more and more each year.

pogopod · Posted: Tue Mar 08, 2005 3:57 pm Post subject:

I have lived on Bald Eagle Lake for 26 years. About 10 years ago all the neighbors got excited because we saw an eagle on Thanksgiving Day. No one had seen an eagle near the lake for years. About four years ago we spoted one again. In the past three years we have seen eagles every year, and last winter there were three on the ice in March at the same time. When one flew through my back yard last year I almost fell off of my chair. I have seen a couple within the last month so there is probably a nest nearby. I'll keep you posted.
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"The best way to defeat the totalitarian of hate is with an ideology of hope -- an ideology of hate -- excuse me --with an ideology of hope." --George W. Bush, Fort Benning, Ga., Jan. 11, 2007

Wayfarin Stranger · Geocacher Joined: 01 Apr 2003 Posts: 122

There is also an aerie on White Bear Lake on the western side of Manitou Island and another that most know about on Keller Lake on the south side of 36. I know of a couple others up north also. There are many eagles in Minnesota this year.

15Tango · Posted: Wed Mar 09, 2005 4:45 am Post subject:

There's a couple of nests down by the Bloomington Ferry Bridge--way back in '02, there used to be a couple of caches down there--Bloomington Ferry Bridge and Where Eagles Dare (kinda)--on the first one, there was a cache under the bridge, and I startled an eagle roosting there and had it fly right past my head--of course, he was already lost in the woods by the time I was able to get my camera out.
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There comes a time in every young boy's life when he gets an irresistible urge to seek buried treasure.--Mark Twain

miles58 · Geocacher Joined: 07 Mar 2005 Posts: 196

The pair along the freeway has been trying for years. They had a nest on the powerline behind Gander, then NW of the strawberry farm, just on the NW corner of Geoge Watch lake (sort of across from the chairs in the tree), and out on the island in Rondeau lake.

I think one of the pair was new last year.

jaywc7 · Geocacher Joined: 13 Sep 2004 Posts: 360

There's also a really nice Eagle nest on Chisago Lake (Chisago City). You have to head towards the South end towards "Slimmer's Slough". I spend a great deal of time each year on South Lindstrom Lake and Chisago Lake. I go check out the Eagles each year. There is a point with markings around it so you don't get too close. It's easy to see them though, and the nest. Have some great photos with a zoom lens. The only thing not so great about them is their soaring area! I fly small planes into Osceola, WI on a fairly regular basis. Generally, I'm beginning my descent over I-35 or so headed East. I'm always catious when descending over the Chisago Lakes area because of all the Eagles. Once, I was at about 4500 feet, and I counted 5 or 6 soaring beneath me at about 3500 feet! This is rather scarry. A sparrow or two through a Duchess prop is no big deal,,, but a Bald Eagle could be catastrophic!

pogopod · Posted: Mon Mar 28, 2005 8:54 am Post subject:

The eagles I mentioned in an earlier post do have a nest on Bald Eagle Lake. For those of you who want to see eagles easily this is a great location and has the benefit of being near a couple of caches as well. Go to the corner of Ramsey County H2 and West Bald Eagle Boulevard (check out GGCWAQ while you are there) Go north along the lake. There are houses on your left as you go north. After the last house on the left look for tall trees with a large nest near the top of one tree. It is set back from the road about 300 yards with open field in front of them.You can park on the left side of the road. There is a lot of activity there now and my naturalist neighbor says she is sure there are eggs in the nest.
_________________
"The best way to defeat the totalitarian of hate is with an ideology of hope -- an ideology of hate -- excuse me --with an ideology of hope." --George W. Bush, Fort Benning, Ga., Jan. 11, 2007

jaywc7 · Geocacher Joined: 13 Sep 2004 Posts: 360

Wayfarin Stranger · Geocacher Joined: 01 Apr 2003 Posts: 122

CLICK

Buzzygirl

There is a huge bald eagle's nest in the middle of Maplewood, right on highway 36, of all places. A couple of weeks ago, I was driving east on 36, and about 1/4 mile before the exit to southbound Highway 61, I noticed a bald eagle fly over the highway and up into a tree. I was able to glance up for a moment and saw the nest. It is literally right on the side of the highway-- I couldn't believe it when I first saw it. I often see both the mom and dad eagle in the nest.

The nest overlooks Keller Lake, which has lots of panfish in it, so I'm sure the eagle family has a plentiful food source.

There are a couple of places that Ramsey County has designated as "nest viewing areas." The best place to view is at these coordinates: 45.00.747, 93.03.699. Take highway 36 and exit into northbound highway 61, then to your left, watch for the sign that says "frontage road"; take that around until you reach the viewing area. Bring binoculars if you've got 'em, or a camera with a telephoto lens.

There is also a public fishing area about 60 ft. down the road from there.

What a spectacular success story for conservation efforts, particularly concerning the bald eagle.

miles58 · Geocacher Joined: 07 Mar 2005 Posts: 196

That's really cool. The eagles I have been around in the past would bitch if you got within a quarter mile of their nest, even way out in the bush in Canada where the never see anyone.

The number that readily tolerate people around here is just staggering. The pair on White Bear pays no mind to boats at all that I can tell. The pair on 35W on the north end of Peltier lake has a snowmobile trail right under their nest damn near. The pair just north of South Center is right on the edge of a farm field.

We need to enjoy them as much as we can because with the toxin levels in the fish being high enough that we are told to limit consumption for people to a couple times a month, and none for pregnant women or children it doesn't look to last.

Buzzygirl · Posted: Sat Apr 30, 2005 8:39 pm Post subject:

Yeah, I really couldn't believe that a pair of nesting eagles would choose a tree that is literally about 15 feet off a busy highway. It's a tall tree, and the topmost branches are mostly dead wood, so the nest is really easy to spot. Well worth a trip to the east metro.

Moe the Sleaze · Posted: Sun May 01, 2005 7:52 am Post subject:

Last weekend up in Grand Rapids, Silent Bob and I did this cache that was directly underneath an eagle's nest. From the description it sounds like the cache owner assumed this was an "old" nest but there was clearly an adult hunkering down in the nest when we were there. In my log, I suggested that the cache be moved back a few hundred feet at least, but so far the owner hasn't reacted in any way.
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