Bald Eagle Count at Silverwood

We went to Silverwood Lake yesterday to take part in a bald eagle count. The man-made lake, a California state park located east of the Cajon Pass, is part of the wintering grounds for bald eagles that migrate from Canada.

Neither one of us had ever participated in a bird count before, but it seemed like a worthwhile thing to do while spending a beautiful day in the mountains. After what has seemed like a lot of cold and rain this winter, the promise of sunny, 80 degree weather was too good to stay indoors..

We arrived at the lake around 8 a.m., met the other volunteers near the lake marina, and split up into small groups. Each group had a birder as a leader, and a designated spot to observe for birds. One spot was the nearby dam; another was Miller Canyon, and ours was Black Oak Canyon.

The bird count at Silverwood was one of several conducted simultaneously around the state. Each one started and ended at the same time to preclude double counting a bird that might fly from one watched site to another during the course of a day. The count was set from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m.

We arrived at Black Oak just before nine, and spotted one bald eagle immediately, sitting at the top of a tall, dead tree. He perched and waited, and eventually flew a short distance to another tree. He was far from us, but still clearly visible, given his impressive size. He was counted as an adult, and unfortunately, he was the only eagle we saw. We did see some large blue herons, and the brilliant if common blue jay.

At the end of the count, we heard there were two other eagles spotted for a total of three. We headed off to a peaceful picnic near the empty lakeshore, and soaked up the sun. There will be another eagle count in March, with the opportunity to cruise around the lake on a barge. We’re up for that.