As regular CFZ-watchers will know, for some time Corinna has been doing a column for Animals & Men and a regular segment on On The Track... particularly about out-of-place birds and rare vagrants. There seem to be more and more bird stories from all over the world hitting the news these days so, to make room for them all - and to give them all equal and worthy coverage - she has set up this new blog to cover all things feathery and Fortean.

Thursday 10 May 2018

Maryland conservation group says drone pilot buzzed bald eagle's nest in Pasadena



Chris Eberly, executive director of the Maryland Bird Conservation Partnership discuses the effects drones have on nesting eagles and other species. 


Eagles and drones are not friends in flight, the Maryland Bird Conservation Partnership warns after a recent Pasadena incident.

After a drone pilot was reported to police for bringing his drone close to an eagle and causing another to leave its nest, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Maryland Natural Resources police got involved.

Kelly Hunt, a volunteer eagle nest monitor for the partnership, said she was checking on a nest this month next to Fort Smallwood Elementary School when she saw a man send his drone up to the nest.

As the drone approached the nest, the female flew away and a male — presumably the father — flew up to the drone for a few seconds before flying past it.

A bald eagle was filmed swimming Monday evening at the community beach in Epping Forest. Eagles can't fly when their feathers get soaked from being in the water too long.

Hunt warned the man he was disturbing the eagles and they could injure themselves if they attacked the remote-controlled copter. She said he refused to fly his drone away from the nest, saying he was within his Federal Aviation Administration rights.

“I understand how cool it is and the temptation to view what’s going on inside the nest, but not to the detriment of the eagles,” Hunt said.

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