State eagle count under way

The Mid-Winter Eagle Count is going on now in Tennessee. [Click to enlarge]

Tennessee's annual Mid-Winter Eagle Count will continue through Jan. 16, according to the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency. This count is part of a national count coordinated by the Biological Resources Division of the U.S. Geological Survey.

The target date for the national simultaneous count is Friday and Saturday, Jan. 9-10, but reported sightings during the entire period of Dec. 31-Jan. 16 are important.

Bald eagles are the primary focus in Tennessee, but golden eagles and ospreys have been reported in recent years.

Anyone making sightings of bald eagles, golden eagles, or ospreys during Dec. 31-Jan. 16 - and in particular Jan. 9-10 - can call Scott Somershoe at (615) 781-6653 or e-mail him at scott.somershoe@state.tn.us in TWRA's Nashville Office.

Information requested includes: name and address or telephone number of observer, date, time and place of observation, species observed and for bald eagles and golden eagles, whether the bird was an adult or immature.

Tennessee's bald eagle population is the highest in winter when birds migrate from the north. Although Reelfoot Lake and Dale Hollow Reservoir have the greatest concentrations during the winter, eagles may be observed along almost any waterway in the state.