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Home My WebLink AboutAPA3407SUSITNA HYDROELECTRIC PROJECT ARTIFICIAL NESTS AND NESTING STRUCTURES BUILT FOR BALD EAGLES IN THE TANANA AND SUSITNA RIVER DRAINAGES AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 1985 Report by LGL Alaska Research Associates, I nc. D. Roseneau P. Bente J. Woolington Under Contract to Harza-Ebasco Susitna Jo i nt Venture Prepared for Alaska Power Authority Final Re port June 1986 Docutaeo t No. 3407 Susitna file No. 4 .3.3.2 NOTICE ANY QUBSTIOHS OR COMMBNTS OONCBRNIRG THIS RBPORT SBOOLD BB DIRBCTBD TO TBB ALASD POifBR AOTBORITY SUSI • A PROJBCT OPPICB ARTIFICIAL NESTS AND NESTING STRUCTURES BUILT FOR FOR BALD EAGLES <~tlittttut ltucoctohalut> IN THE TANANA AND SUSITNA RIVER DRAINAGES, AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 198S. •ntroduction Htrt ~• rtport tht prtliminary rtsults of an txptrimtnt to dtsign and ttst atsthttic, natural-apptaring artificial trtt-ntsts and mobilt artificial ntsting structurts for bald taglts <Htlittttys ltucoctohtlus>. Tht txptrimtnt btgtn in Hay 198S and it bting conducttd for Harza-Ebasco Susitna Joint Vtnturt t nd tht Alaska Powtr Authority. Htthods Rtsttrching and dtvising mtthods for building and Installing artificial bald ttglt ntsts and ntsting structurts ~trt dont in Fairbanks, Alaska during 1S Hay -IS July 198S. Ntsts and ntstlng structurts ~trt prtftbricattd during IS July -20 August 198S. Tht dtsign for t~t ntstlng platform was a modification of an oldtr dtsign dtv.loptd for bald taglts In Trinity County, California <stt L~b and 8trtgtr 1978>, and a mort rtctn t dtslgn ustd to rtpltct a falltn bald ttglt ntst along tht Pitt Rlvtr, California <G . Hun t ptrs. comm. 1984, 198SJ R. Jackmtn ptrs. c~. 1984>. Tht dt s ign for a mobllt al~lnum tripod ntstlng structurt ~as dtrivtd in part from tarl ltr tripod dtslgns dtvtloptd for bald ttgles and osprtys <Ptndion htl!tttus> in Michigan <t.g., Pinkowski 1977; Postupalsky 1978; Ttmplt 1978, Platt 1> and t mort rtctnt tluminum dtsign ustd to rtplact a ftlltn bald taglt ntst near a rtttrvolr In Arizona (sit Grubb 1980, 1983). Tht trtt-ntsts wtrt lnstalltd during 1 August -10 Stpttmbtr 198S by thrtt mtn using rivtr boats <Tanana Rivtr drainagt> and supporttd by light turbint htlicopttrs <Btll 2068 Jtt Rangtrs> <Susitnt Rivtr drainagt>. Two tt~ mtmbtrs frtt-climbtd dtsignattd ~hitt spruct trtts <~ altuca>. Ont ttam m.mbtr wtaring standard trtt cllmbtrs fitttd with long gaffs cl imbtd tht dtsignattd bals~ poplar t tts <PoPulus btlstmlftra>. Climbing tt&m members also ~ort htlmtts, stftty goggles and climbing h~rntssts, and ustd a varitty of nylon ~tbbing slings and carabintrs to stcurt thtmstlvts to various points in tht trtts. Ont tt.m mtmbtr r tmtintd on tht ground and optrated a 100-lSO foot-long continuous-loop ropt and pullty systtm that was stcurtd bttwetn points in tht trtts abovt tht construction sitts and tht ground. All thrtt tt~ ~tmbtrs wort Htxson 49-HJ voict-actlvattd FH trantctlvtrs capablt of stnding and rtctlvlng signals over distanct of about O.S milt. Tht mobilt al~in~ tripod ntsting structurt ~•s also installtd by t thrtt~tn fltld-t t &m. Tht tripod and artificial ntst wtrt tsstmbltd on tht ground, and raistd and carr i td into p l&ct by a light turbint htlicopttr <Btll 206B Jtt Rangtr) using tht htlicapt t 's standard sling cable riggtd with a 150 foot -long ltngth of 4 1 500 pound-ttst ~ Ktvlar lint. Tht pilot ~ort a Maxson voict activattd tran s ctivtr and was guidtd in lowtring tht tripod by tht similarly rtdio-linktd fitld-ttam on tht ground. ARTIFICIAL NESTS AND NESTING STRUCTURES BUILT FOR FOR BALD EAGLES <~tlittttUJ ltucoctphalut> IN THE TANANA AND SUSITNA RIVER DRAINAGES, AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 198S. 'ntroduction Htrt ~• rtport tht prtlimintrY rtsults of tn txptrimtnt to dtsign and ttst ttsthttic, ntturtl-tppttring trtificitl trtt-ntsts tnd mobilt trtificial ntsting structurts for btld taglts <Haliatttus ltucoctphtlus>. Tht txptri~tnt btgan in Hty 19BS and is btlng conducttd for Harzt-Ebtsco Susitnt Joint Vtnturt and tht Alaska Powtr Authority. Htthods Rtstarching and dtvislng mtthods for building and Installing artificial bald taglt ntsts and ntsting ttructurtt ~trt dont in Fairbanks, Alaska during 1S Hay -1S July 198S. Ntsts and ntstlng structurts ~trt prtfabricattd during 1S July -20 August 198S. Tht dtsign for t~t ntstlng platfor~ ~at a modification of an oldtr dtsign ~v.1aptd for bald taglts In Trinity County, California <stt L~b tnd Baragtr 1978>, tnd t mort rtctnt dtslgn ustd to rtpltct a falltn bald taglt ntst along tht Pitt Riutr, California <G . Hun t ptrs. c~. 1984, 1985t R. Jack~an ptrs. c~. 1984>. Tht dt s ign for a ~obilt al~lnu~ tripod ntsting structurt ~as dtrivtd in part fr~ tarlltr tripod dtslgns dtvtloptd for bald tagles and osprtys <Pandion htlitttus> in Michigan (t,g., Pinkowski 1977; Postupalsky 1978; Ttmplt 1978, Platt 1> and t mort rtctnt tluminum dtsign ustd to rtplact t falltn bald taglt ntst ntar t rtstrvolr In Arizona (sit Grubb 1980, 1983). Tht trtt-ntsts ~•r• lnstalltd during 1 August -10 Stpttmbtr 198S by thrtt mtn using riutr boats <Ttnana Rivtr drtinagt) and supporttd by light turbint htlicopttrs <Btll 206B Jtt Rangtrs> <Susitna Rivtr drtinagt). Two tt~ mtmbtrs frtt-cllmbtd dtsignattd whitt tpruct trttl <flitl altuca>. Ont ttam ~.mbtr wttring standtrd trtt cll~btrs fitttd with long gaffs climbed tht dtsignattd bals~ poplar t ttl <Populus balstmiftra>. Climbing ttam mtmbtrs also ~ort htl~tts, stftty gogglts tnd climbing h&rntssts, and ustd a variety of nylon wtbbing slings tnd cartbintrs to stcurt thtmstlvts to vtrious points in tht trtts. Ont tt~ mt~btr r tmtintd on tht ground and optrtttd a 100-1SO foot-long continuous-loop ropt and pullty systtm that was stcurtd bttwttn points in tht trtts about tht construction sitts tnd tht ground. All thrtt tt~ ~•~btrs wort Haxton 49-HJ voict-actlvattd FH transctlutrs captblt of stnding and rtctlvlng slgntls over dlstanct of tbout O.S milt. Tht ~o b i lt al~!n~ tripod ntsting ttructurt ~as tlso installtd by t thrtt~an fitld-t t &m. Tht tripod tnd artificial ntst wtrt tsstmbltd on tht ground, and raistd and carr i td into p l&ct by a light turbint htlicopttr <Btll 206B Jtt Rangtr) using tht htlicopt t 1 1 standard sling cable riggtd with a 150 foot-long ltngth of 4,SOO pound-ttst ~ Ktvltr lint. Tht pilot ~ort t Maxson voict actiuattd tran s ctivtr and was guidtd in lowtring tht tripod by tht similarly radio-linktd fitld-ttam on tht ground. 2 Result~ and Di~cus~ion Two artificial nests were installed in white spruce trees along the Tanana River near Fairbanks, Alaska. The nests wtrt located at elevations of about 400 fett above cpa ltvtl in typical inttrior Alaskan riparian habitats comprised largtlY of whitt spruce and balsam poplar stands, tall alder <Alnus spp.> and willow <~ spp.> shrublands, and black spruct <f. mariana> bo~lands. Both nests were positioned to represent two entirely ntw nesting locations (i.e., nt~ting territorit~) for bald eagles near tht terminus of the current downstre~ nesting distribution of bald eagles in tht Fairbanks sector of the Tanana Rivtr basin. Six m~rt artifi~ial nests were built in whitt spruce <thrtt nests> and balsam poplar <two ntsts> trees, and on tht mobile aluminum tripod nesting structure <one nest> in the middle basin of tht Susitna River in southcentral Alaska. Tht nests wtrt locattd at elevations bttwten about 1,000 and 2 1 400 feet above sea ltvtl in typical southctntral Alaskan riparian and upland habitats comprised largtlY of whitt spruce and balsam poplar stands, tall alder and willow shrublands, black spruct boglands, short birch <Betula spp.> shrublands 1 and shrub-tundra communitits. Tht ntsts wtrt postioned to rtprtstnt two tntirtly ntw nesting locations <ont spruct and one poplar tree site> and four alttrnatt nest sitts at four existing ntsting locations <two spruct and ont popl a r trtt site, and tht mobilt aluminum tripod site> near the upptr tltvational limits of nesting for bald taglts in Alaska. Prtli~inary designs used for the artificial nests and nesting structure art shown in Appendix 1. Cast h i storits of all eight artificial nests, including the ntst mounted on tht artificial ntsting structure, art provided below. ·Tanana River No. 1 <BAEA.AFN.01> Tanana River No. 1 is an artificial bald eagle stick nest in a tree along tht south bank of tht Tanana River about 3 air miles south from tht Richardson Highway and Fort Wainwright, and about 9 air milts upstream from the mouth of the Chtna Rivtr south of Htridian Island near the ctnttr of the northern boundary of the SW 1/4 of 3ection 6 1 T2S R1E, Fairbanks D-2 Quadrangle <Figure 1), The nest was bu ilt t o rtpresent an entirely new nesting location within the middlt basin of t he Tanana River drain a ge <stt Platts 1 and 2>. The nearest known naturally-occurring bald eagle ntsting locations art located about 7 air mi lts upstream and S air milts downstream from tht artificial location, respectivtly. The upstream nesting location [Nesting Location BE-83 <NWAPCO>l has bttn present for at ltast 15 years <L. Pett, pers. comm. to D. G. Roseneau, 1980). It contains one nest in a balsam poplar tree. Tht nest was surveyed by aircraft and boat and found active in 1979, inactive in 1980 and active aga i n in 1981-1984 <Rostntau and Bente 1981; R. Ambrose and H. Amaral, unpubl. data; D. G. Rostntau, unpubl. data> •. Bal d eagles reoccupied it and reare d one chick in it in 1985 <D. G. Roseneau, unpubl. data>. The downstream nesting location [Nesting Location BE-83.2 <NWAPC O>l was first discovertd in 1981 when a pair of birds began build i ng a nest along an Air Logistics helicopter route <Air Logistics Inc., per s . comm. to D. G. Rostntau>. It contains one nest in a spruce tree. It was surveyed by boat and found activt i n 1983 and 1984 <data art not availa b le for 1982) <D. Norton, pers. comm.>. Bald eagles reoccupied it and reared one chick in it in BE-83.2: <Current blld eagle nest site> (N.IAPC()) 1980 -not prestnt 1981 -active 1983 -active .1\rl ... 1¥• 1985 -active <successful> _IRBANKS I NTER~ATi q_NAL , r AIRPORT 1 . ,19 . J. .20 ·• FORT I WAINW ~IGHT FAIRBANKS (0-2) QU AD RANGLE ALASKA -NORTH ST AR BOROUGH I 0 N I 63 360 SER IES TOPOGRA PHIC) SCALE 1 63360 CONTOUR INTERVAL 50 FEET .. I 3 ;: ~· '{ ' Tower ... 2 ,... .......... ·~ ...... .. . ..... • .P -- 7 ' 8 Figure 1. The location of artificial nest sit e Tanana River No. 1 near Meridian Island, Tanana River, Alaska and the nearest neighboring bald eagle nesting location <BE-83.2, Northwest Alaskan Pipeline Company survey series> in the Tanana River drainage. The artificial nest was built several miles ~ay f rom BE-83.2 and another artificial nest <Tanana River No. 2> t o provide a new, previously unavailable nesting location that might attract another pair of bald eagles to the Fairbanks -Northpole section of the river. w 198~ spruce popl~r 1970's 4 <D. G. Rostnt~u, P. J. 8ente ~nd J, D. Woolington, unpubl. d~t~>. Thr trtt nest m~y h~ve rtplaced an older nest reported to be locattd in a tret a ftw milts u~itre~ from tht mouth of tht Chtna Rivtr in tht <J. Binkley, ptrs. comm. to D. Norton>. Tht artificial ntst w~s inst~lltd about ~0 fttt ~bove ground on tht north sidt of ont of ~pair of clost'y-growing 80-8~ foot-tall 1 ivt whitt spruce trtts on 1 August 1985. Tht ntst trtt ~nd p~rti~lly tntwintd companion trtt wtrt locattd a ftw fett ~p~rt about 15 fett south of tht rivtr in ~ tall shrub community <pred~inantly aldtr> Tht ntst trtt's di~tttr a t brtast htight <DBH> ~nd diamtttr ~t nest htight <DNH> wert about 24 inches ~nd 10 inches, rtsptctivtly <tht companion trtt was of simil~r sizt>. Tht ntst w~s built in about 9 hours time <as mtasurtd fr~ tht timt ptrsonntl first asctnded the tret to tht ti~t thty rtturntd to tht ground>. Tht platfor~ sup·porting tht ntst w~s prtf~bricattd from ~ 4 x ~ foot pitce of 0.7~ inch-thick marint plrwood cut into an octagonal shapt by sawing 10 inchts from tht corntrs. Patttrns of vtrtical 1.2~ inch-di~tttr h~lts, and vertical and angltd 0.7~ inch-di~tttr holts wtrt drilltd in tht platfor~ to allow good drainagt and for installing ltngths of 0.75 inch-dia.tttr hardwood dowtl ing. Stvtntttn pitcts of 16 inch-long 0.7~ inch-di~tttr dowtling wtrt cut for tvtntual instrtion into tht outtr round of 0.75 inch-diamtttr holts drilltd at about 40 dtgrtt outward anglts through 0 .75 inch thick, 4.0 x 4.0 inch-squart plrwood blocks fasttntd around tht ptrl~t t r f tht platform. COnly stvtntttn pitcts of 16.0 inch-long dowtling art nttdtd bt~aust at ltast ont of tht 0.75 inch-diamtttr holts ntartst tht trtt trunk is t ypically ltft tmptyl. Eightttn pitcts of 12 inch-long and four pitcts of 5 inch-long 0.75 inch-diamtttr dowtling wtrt also cut for tvtntual instrtion into the inntr round of 0.75 inch-di~t~tr holts drilltd at about 20 dtgrtt outward anglts stvtral inchts back from tht first round of dowtl-holts and tht 0.75 inch-diamtttr holts drilltd at 90 dtgrtt anglts ntar tht ctnttr of tht platfor~. Tht platform and dowtling wtrt staltd with two coats of flat gray txttrior l~ttx paint <Gliddtn Exttrior L~ttx in Kiwi tont>. Tht tdgts and bottom surfact of tht platfor~ wtrt camouflagtd by strtaks of quick-drying flat brown, black and dark gray spray paint <Dap Inc. Dtrusto primtr> btfort tht platform was taktn into tht field. Stvtral strtaks of grttn spray paint wtrt also applitd to tht bottom of tht platform just btfort it was ~ounttd in tht trtt. Tht platform was mounttd in tht trtt by bolting it down onto two support bracktts prtfabricattd from pitcts of Stttl City slotttd right-anglt s tttl stock <thrtt 1.5 inch-long, 0.38 inch-diamtttr bolts ptr sidt> afttr bolting tht support br~cktts to oppositt sidts of tht trtt trunk <thrtt 3.5-4.5 inch long, 0.38 inch-diamtttr a gbolts ptr sidt>. Tht two horizontal compont n ts for tht support brackets wtrt madt from 5 foot-long pitcts of RA-300 stock, and tht two vtrtical ad two s lanttd compontnts wtrt madt from 3 foot-long pitcts of RA-225 stock. Tht back-bract was madt from ont 1_ inch-long pitct of RA-22~ stock cut to ltngth on sitt. Tht back-bract was stcurtd to tht trtt by ont 3.5 inch-long, 0.38 inch-di~tttr lagbolt. Tht 3 foot-long and ~ foot-long support bracktt compontnts wtrt givtn ont coat of flat gray mttal primtr and camouflagtd by strtaks of brown and black mttal primtr btfort bting taktn into tht fitld <Dap Inc. Dtrusto prlmtrs>. Tht frtsh-cut back-bract tnds wtrt painttd on-sitt. 5 Tht ntst was madt from 8-10 foot lengths of 1 inch-diamtttr <at-the-butt> asptn saplings cut and dritd for ont year, and similar-sized frtsh-cut grttn aldtr saplings cut on-site. Tht saplings wert wovtn bttwttn the 16.0 inch-long and 12.0 inch-long hardwood dowtls a~ttr the dowel-butts wert coated with glut and drivtn into place on the platform <Wtldwood waterproof rtsorcinol glut). Short 1-2 foot-long ltngths o~ 1 inch-di&mtttr and smalltr dritd asptn and dtad aldtr found near tht construction site wert inserted at varying anglts bttwttn tht two rows of saplings to complttt tht wovtn rim o~ tht ntst. Tht ntst was filltd with about 6-8 inches of tightly packtd frtsh-cut green spruce boughs. The spruce boughs wert covtrtd by 2-3 inchts of short, criss-crosstd dried aldtr and spruce sticks fol l owtd by 3-4 inchts of freshly picktd sphagnum moss and grass, several handfuls of small dead twigs and a ftw freshly cut, ltafy poplar twigs. Fourtttn-gaugt stove wire was strung from tht basts of the 16.0 inch-long dowtls mounted around tht tdgts o~ the platform to slots in tht horizontal and slanted components of tht support bracktts. Stove wirt was also strung in an open zig-zag fashion btntath the platform betwt un t ht two horizontal components of tht support bracktts. Largt, frtsh-cut spruct boughs and some aldtr and willow saplings wtre inserted into tht wire web to covtr tht bottom of tht platform, and smaller spruct boughs wtrt wtdgtd at downward angles bttwetn tht bottom of the nest and tht top of the platform to hidt tht edges of the platform. A largt perching plact was made by seltctivtly pruning one of the ntst trtt's limbs about 10 fttt above tht nest. Tht tops of tht nest trtt and partially tntwintd c~panion trtt also providt stvtral potential perching places for resting taglts. Tht ntst trtt and partially entwined companion trtt art a prominent featurt along tht river bank, standing alone among 10-20 foot-tall alder and willow at least 200 yards downstrt&m the nearest stand of siztablt spruce. The completed nest faces north, overlooking an extensive series of shallow rivtr channels and several grassy islands supporting about S0-100 nesting pairs of mew gull$ (~ ~>, sevtral ntsting pairs of htrring gulls <b· aratntatus> and several pairs of Canada gttst \Brant& canadensis>. Tanana River No. was surveytd by light fixed-wing aircraft on stvtral occasions during April and Hay 1986. Tht nest was empty on 17 and 24 April. Ont adult bald eagle was ptrchtd on the rim of the ntst on 25 April <at the s&mt time pairs wtre present at T~nana River No. 2 and natural ntsting lo ation BE83.2>. One adult taglt was perched in the nest trtt on the man-made perch and a second adult was standing in the center of the nest on 28 Apri • Eagles were not present ntar the ntst on 29 and 30 April, nor on 1 and 8 Hay. One adult eagle was perched in tht nest trtt and a second adult was perched on the rim of the nest on 11 Hay. Eagles wert not prtstnt near the nest on 13, 19 and 20 Hay. £The nest tree at the upstream natural nesting location <BE-83> fell down during t he winter of 1985-1986. A pair of bald eagles was seen ptrching in the vicini t y of the lost nest site in early April 1986 <L. Pttt ptrs. comm. to D. G. Rostntau 29 April 1986>. Ont adult seen perching near BE-83 on 29 April and 19 Hay 1986 may have been tht matt of tht bird incubating eggs at Tanana River No. 2 <see below>. A pair of eagles was perched near the downstream 6 natur a l ntst i ng locat i on <BE-83.2> on 25 Apr i l 1996 . Ont adult was pt r c ht d ntar BE-83.2 on 30 Apr il , and one adult was setn in the nest on 8, 11 a nd 13 May 1996. No adults wtrt setn nt ar BE-83.2 on 19 and 20 May 19 961 . Tantnt River No. 2 <BAEA.AFN.02> Tanana Ri ver No. 2 is an artif i cial bald eagle st i ck ntst in a trtt on t he south bank of an unnamed island in tht Tanana Rivtr about 1 ai r ~ilt southwest fr~ tht Richardson HiQhway, abo u t 13 air milts upstream from tht mouth of the Chtna Rivtr and about 4 air milts upstream from Tanana River No. 1 in tht s thtast 1/4 of Section 2, T2S R1E, Fairbanks D-1 Quadrangle <Figure 2>. The st was built to rtprtsent an tntirtlY new nesting locat i on within the middle basin of tht Tanana Rivtr drainage <stt Platts 3, 4 and 5>. Tht ntartst known naturally-occurring btld taglt ntsting locations art located about 3 air milts upstream and 9 air ~ilts downstream from the 1rtificial location , rtsptctivtly. Tht upstrtam nesting location [Ntst i Location BE-83.2 <NWAPCO>l has bttn prtstnt for at ltast 15 years <L. Pttt, ptrs. comm. to D. G. Rostntau, 1990>. It contains ont nest in a ba l sam poplar trtt. The ntst was survtytd by aircraft and boat and found activt in 1979, inactive in 1990 and activt again in 1991-1994 <Rostntau and Btntt 1991; R. Ambrose and M. Amaral, unpubl. data; D. G. Rostnttu, unpubl. data>. Bald taglts rtoccup1td it and rtartd one chick in it in 1985 <D. G. Rostntau, unpubl. data>. The downstream nesting location £Nesting Location BE-83.2 <NWAPCO>l was first discovtrtd in 1981 whtn a pair of birds began building a nest along an Air Logistics htlicopttr routt <Air LoQistics Inc., ptrs. comn. to D. G. Rostntau>. It contains ont nest in a spruce trtt. It was surveyed by boat and found activt in 1983 and 1984 <data art not available for 1982> <D. Norton, ptrs. comm.>. Bald taglts rtoccupitd it and rtartd ont ch i ck in it in 1985 <D. G. Rostntau, unpubl. data>. Tht spruce trtt nest ~ay havt replaced an oldtr nest rtporttd to be located in a poplar tree a few milts upstrta~ from the mouth of the Chtna Rivtr in tht 1970's <J. Binkley, ptrs. comm. to D. Norton>. Tht arti f icial nest was i nstalled about 58 fttt about ground on tht south sidt of a 68-70 foot-tall l i vt whitt spruce tree on tht south sidt of tht i s land on 23 August and 10 Stpttmbtr 1985 <tht platform was mounttd in tht trte on 23 August and tht ntst was compltttd on tht platform on 10 Stpttmbtr>. Tht nest trtt was located about 75 ftet north of tht island's south bank ntar a few simil ar spruce trtts in a stand of shorter balsam poplar trtts. Tht nest platform was mounttd a ftw fttt about tht tops of the surrounding poplar trtts. Tht ntst tree's diamtttr at breast height <DBH> and diamtttr at nest heigh t wert abo u t 18 inchts and 6 .5 inchts, rtsptctivtly. Tht ntst was built in about 9 hours tim e <as mtasured from tht timt personnel first asctndtd the trtt to tht timt thty rtturntd to tht ground>. Tht platform supporting tht nt st was prefabricated from a 4 x 5 foot piece of 0.75 inch-thick marint ·plyWood cut into an octagonal shape by sawing 10 inchts from tht corntrs. Patttrns of vertical 1.25 inch-diameter holts, and vertical and angltd 0.75 inch-diamtttr holts wtrt drilled in tht platform to allow good dral nagt and ·for i nstalling lengths of 0.75 inch-diameter hardwood doweling. Stvtntttn pitc t s of 16 inch-l ong 0.75 inch-diamtttr dowtling wtrt cut for evtntual instrtion into tht outer round of 0.75 inch-d i amtttr holts drilled at about 40 dtgrtt outward anglts through 0.75 inch thick, 4.0 x 4.0 inch-squart plyWood blocks fasttned around the perimeter of the platform. [Only sevente e n . • 15 \ .. \ \., I I 7 ••. 13 BE-83: <Currtnt bald taglt n11t lltt) <NWAPCO> <Prtstnt for at ltast 15 yrs> 27 : I .· I '! , -. '.. ' 1 ! 1 1979 -ac tl vt 1980 -unoccupltd 1981 -actlvt 1985-actlvt <succtssful) 26 25 ( ( 28 <Artificial ltlt litt) <Bul1 t on 23 Aug • 10 Stpt 1985> 31 I -----------t---------~·--t~~~~~~·· o r \' / I I I 0 29 FAIRBANKS (0-1) QUADRANGLE SC ALE I :63 360 Figure 2 . The location of artificial nest site Tanana River No. 2, Ta nana River, Alaska and the nearest neighboring bald eagle nesting location <BE-83, Northwest Alaskan Pipeline Com pa ny survey s e ries> in the Tanana River drainage. The artificial nest was bu i lt several miles away from BE-83 and a nother artificial nest <Tanana River No. 1> to provide a new, previously unavailable nesting location that might attract another pair of bald eagles to the Fairbanks -Northpole sect i on of the river. 8 pitct s of 16.0 i nc h-long dowel i ng are nttdtd because at ltast ont of t ht 0.75 i n c h-d i ~eter holts nearest the tree trunk i s typ i cally left empty], Ei ghtee n p i tcts of 12 i nch-long and four p i tcts of 5 inch-long 0.7~ in ch-d i amete r dowtling wtre also cu t for eventual insert i on i nto tht i nner round of 0.75 inch-d i ameter holts drilled at about 20 dtgrtt outward angles several i nches back from tht first round of dowtl-holes and the 0.75 inch-d i ameter holts dr illed at 90 degrtt angles near the center of the platform. The platform and dowtl i ng wtrt sealed with two coats of flat gray exterior latex pa i nt <Glidden Exter i or Latex in Kiwi tone>. The edges and bottom surface of tht platf orm were camouflaged by str ea ks of quick-drying flat brown, black and dark gray spray paint <Dap Inc. Dtrusto primer> btfort the platform was taktn into the fitld. Several streaks of green spray paint wert also applied to the bottom of the platform just btfore it was mounted in the tree. Tht platform was mounted in the trtt by bolting it down onto two support brackets prefabricated from pieces of Steel City slotted right-ang l t steel stock <thrtt 1.5 inch-long, 0.38 inch-diamtttr bolts per side) after bolting tht supp ort brackets onto opposite sides of the tree trunk <three 4.5 inch l ong , 0.38 inch-diamtttr lagbolts ptr sidt). Tht two horizontal compont n ts for the support brackets wtre madt from 5 foot-long pieces RA-300 stock, and tht two vert i cal and two slanted components wert madt from 3 foot-long pieces RA-225 stock. Tht back-bract was made from ont 10 inch-long pitct of RA-300 stock cut to length on-site. Tht back-bract was secured to the trtt by one 4.5 i nch-long, 0.38 inch-diameter lagbolt. Tht 3 foot-long and S foot-long support bracket compontnts wtrt given one coat of flat gray meta l primer and camouflaged by strtaks of brown and black metal primer btfort bting taktn into the field <Dap Inc. Dtrusto primers>. Tht fresh-cut ba c k-bract ends wert painted on-sitt. Tht ntst was madt from 8-10 foot lengths of 1 inch-diameter <at-the-butt> aspen saplings cut and dried for ont ytar, and similar-siztd partially dried willow saplings. Tht saplings wert woven between the 16.0 inch-long and 12.0 inch-long hardwood dowels .ittr tht dowel-butts wtrt coattd with glut and drivtn into p l ace on the platform <Wtldwood waterproof resorcinol glut>. Short 1-2 foot-long lengths of 1 inch-diamtttr and smaller dritd aspen and willow ~trt instrttd at varying anglts bttwttn the two rows of saplings to complete the wovtn rim of the nest. Tht nest was f i lled with about 6-8 inches of t i ghtly packtd fresh-cut grttn spruc e boughs. Tht spruce boughs wert covtrtd by 3-4 inches of short , criss-crossed dritd and part i ally dritd asptn and willow sticks followt d by 3-4 inches of freshly cu t , leafy poplar twigs and freshly picked grass. Stainltss-stttl safety wirt was strung from tht basts of tht 16.0 inch-long dowels mounted around tht edges of tht platform to slots in the horizontal and slanted components of the support brackets. Stainltss-sttel wirt was also strung i n an optn zig-zag fashion beneath tht platform bttwetn the two horizon ~al components of tht support bracktts. Large , fresh-cut spruce boughs wert instrted into the wi re web to cover t he bo t tom of the platform, and smalltr spruce boughs were wedged at downward angl es bttwttn tht bottom of tht nest and the top of the platform to hide the tdgts of t he platform. 9 A nea rby part i a l l y de ad pop l ar t ree , several bu~hy-topped 1 i ve spruce tree s and the top of the ntst tree prov i de some potent i a l perch i ng places for rest i 1g eaglts. [Bald i agles perched i n one partia lly de ad poplar t r ee by the ri ver bank on severa l c c as i ons dur i ng l ate summer 1985 --fresh fe c es and one mo l ted feather wert found be l ow the tree on tO September]. The ntst tree is located on the r i ver s i dt of a relat i vely open stand f 13 spru c e trees whose tops r i se 15-25 feet above the top of tht surround i ng po ~lar canopy. The nes t tree is shorter than several of tht neighbor i ng sp1•uce trees, and is not a dominant membt~ of the stand. however, i t i s separated slightly from the other spruce trees, and i s locattd only about 50-75 feet from t he water. The completed nest faces sou th and overlooks several river channels of varying depth separated by several open mud and gravel bar~. It is in direct line-of-sight of Nesting Location BE-83.2 <NWAPCO>. Tanana River No. 2 was survtyed by light fixed-wing aircraft on several occasions during April and May 1986. Th nest was empty on 17 April. One adult bald eagle wa~ incubating in tht nest on 24 April. The incubating adul t was also seen in the nest on 25, 28, 29 and 30 April, and on 1, 8, 11, 13, 19 and 20 May. The matt was setn flying near the nest on 25 April, and perched on the ri~ of tht ntst and in ntarby spruce trees on 2 April and 13 May. [A pa i r of eagles was perched near the downstream natural nesting location <BE-83.2> on 25 April 19 86 . Ont adult was perched near BE-83.2 on 30 April, and one adult was seen in he nest on 8, 11 and 13 May 1986. No adults were seen near BE-83.2 on 19 and 20 May 1986. The nest tree at the upstream natural nest i ng location <BE-83> fell down during the winter of 1985-1986. A pair of bald tagles was sten perching in tht vicinity of tht lost nest site in tarly April 1986 <L. P,et pers. comm. to D. G. Rostneau 29 April 1986>. One adult seen perching near BE-83 on 29 April and 19 Ma , 1986 may have been the .mate of the bird incubating eggs at Tanana River No. 21. Qshetna Ri ver No. t <BAEA.AFN.03 > Oshetna Ri ver No. is an ar t i f i ci a l bald eag l e stick nest in a tree on the west bank of t he lowtr Osh t tna River about 2.5 air miles <3 river miles> up~tre~ from the conflutnce of the Oshetna and Susitna rivers in Sect i on 16 1 T29N R11E, Talkeetna Mountains C-1 Quadrangle <Fi gure 3>. The nest was bu ilt to represent an alternate nt~t site at an existing nesting location i n the ~iddle basin of the Susitna River drainage <see Plates 6, 7 and 8>. The nearest known naturally-occurring bald eagle nesting location <Nesting Loc a tion BE-2> is located about 500 yards downstream from the artificial site. It contains only one known usable nest site. Bald eagles built the nest in a spruce tree in 1985 to replace another nest in a spruce tree that fell down during t he winter of 1984-1985 about 0.5 air-milt farther downstream along the west bank of the Oshttna River. The fallen nest was survtyed by aircraft and found active in 1980, 1981 and 1984. The replacement ne st still contained ont completely fe a thered, ready-to-fledge ntstling on 4 Septembe r 1985 <Susitna Hydroelectric Project Memora ndum from D. G. Roseneau, P. J. Bente and J. D. Woolington, LGL Alaska toR . B. Sener, LGL Alaska, 6 Decemb~r 1985>. The artificial side of a 60 nest was installed about 45 feet abov e ground on the southeast foot-tall live white spruce t ree on 27 August 1985. Th e nest B£·2• 1980 -actlvt 1981 -actlvt 1984 -actlvt 10 ' . """" '' . ( ., ( ,' 2t'( I ·' 1985-ntst trtt falltn down I I • I I i n I I I I I '' 11 12 ) \_'. r . \.~ ,, i <Currtnt bald taglt ntst sitt) <Built by bald taglts spring 1985) 1985-actiut <succtssful> 'TALKEETNA MOUNTAINS (C -1) QUADRANGLE MATANUSKA -SUSITNA BOROUGH -ALASKA I :6 3 360 SERIES OPOG RA PH IC) SCALE I 63360 1 Jrol tt l \ JOOO 0 J()..Q (II(JJ 1.10)0 ,, I XJO • I( 'II -3 ::-! F -f !"";'" I -f .!"'!f -1-= I -I -i l-'--t r I I I ~ 0 I 'I J s -"Frrrtl lt r--.:--:-;:_1 ----1 L-- CO NTOUR IN TERV AL 50 FEE I I I • OI.II(MP r~ ' Figure 3. The location of artificial nest sites Oshetna River No. 1 and Oshetna River No. 2, Oshetna River, Alaska and the neares t neighboring bal d ugh nesting locat i on <BE-2> in the middle basin of the Susitna Ri ver drainage. The artificial nests were built in the immediate vicinity of t he single ne s t site at bald eaglP n esting location BE-2 to provide new, previously unavailable alternate nest sites at BE-2. I I trtt was located a out 15 feet west of tht river at the tdgt of a s tand of wh i te spruce trees. The nest tree 's diameter a t breast heig h t <OBH> and diameter at nest height <ONH> were abou t 15 inches and 6 i nc hes, r espect i vel y . Tht nest was bu i lt i n about 7 ho u s time <as measured from the t ime personnel f i rst ascended the tree to the time they returned to the grou nd ). The platform supporting the nest was prefabricated from a 4 x 5 foot p i ece of 0 .75 i nch -thick marine pl rwo od cut into an oc tagonal sha pe by sawing 10 i nches f rom the corners. Patterns of vert i cal 1.25 inch-diamtttr holt , and vertical and angled 0.75 i nch-d i ameter holts wert drilled in the platform to allow good drainage and for installing lengths of 0.75 inch-diameter hardwood dowelin g . Seventeen pieces of 16 inch-long 0.7~ inch-diameter doweling wert cut f or eventual insertion into the outer round of 0.75 inch-diameter holts drill ed at about 40 dtgrtt outward a ngles through 0.75 inch thick, 4.0 x 4.0 inch -square plrwood blocks fastened around the perimeter of the platform. [Only seventeen p i eces of 16.0 inch-long doweling art netdtd because at least one of the 0.75 inch-diameter holts nearest the tree trunk is typically left tmptyl. Eighteen pitcts of 12 i nch-long and four p i eces of 5 inch-long 0.75 i nch-diameter doweling we rt also cut for eventua l insertion into the inner round of 0 .75 i nch-diamtttr holts drilled at about 20 dtgrtt outward angles several inches back from ,e first round of dowe l -holts and the 0.75 inch-diameter holes drilled at 9J degret angles near the ctnttr of the platform. The platform and doweling wert staled with two coats of flat gray exterior latex paint <Glidden Exterior Lattx in Kiwi tone>. Tht edges and bottom surface of the platform wtrt camouflaged by streaks of quick-drying flat brown, black and dark gray spray paint <Oap Inc. Otrusto primer) before the platform was taktn into the field. Several streaks of green s pray paint were also app l itd to tht bottom of tht platform just before it was mounted in the tree. The platform was mount t d in tht trtt by bolting it down onto two support brackets prefabricated f rorr pieces of Sttel City slotted right-angle stetl st c k <thrtt 1.5 inch-long, 0.38 inch-diamtttr bolts per side> after bolting the support brackets onto opposite sides of the tree tr~nk <two 3.5 i nch-long and ont 4.5 inch l ong, 0 .38 inch-diameter lagbolts per side>. The two horizontal components for the supp ort br acket s wert made from 5 foot -long p ·ects RA-300 stock and the two vertical and two slanted components wert made from 3 foot-long itces of RA-225 stock. The back-bract was madt fr om one 8 inch-long pitct of RA-300 stock cut to ltngth on-si t t. Tht back-brace was secured t o the trt t by one 3.5 inch-long, 0.38 inch-diameter lagbolt. The 3 foot-long and 5 fo ot -long support bracktt components wtrt given one ccat of flat gray metal primtr and camouflaged by streaks of brown and black metal primtr btfore be i ng taken into the fitld <Oap Inc. Otrusto primers). The fres h-cut back-brace ends wert painted on-site. The nest was madt from 8-10 fo ot lengths of 1 inch-diameter <at-the-butt> aspen saplings cut and dried for ont year, and s imilar-siztd partially dried wi llow saplings. Tht sapl i ngs wtre wovtn bttwten the 16.0 inch-long and 12.0 i nch-long hardwood dowtls af ttr the dowel-butts were coated with glut and driv e n into plact on the platform <Wtldwoo d wa terproof resorcinol glue>. Short 1-2 foot-long ltngths of 1 inch-diamtt t r a nd smaller dried aspen and wil low wert insert e d at varying angles be t we en tht two rows of saplings to compl t t the woven rim of the ntst. 12 Tht nest was iilltd wi th about 6-8 i nches oi tightly packed irtsh-c ut green spruce boughs. The s pruce boughs wtre covered by 3-4 inches oi shor t , cr i ss-crossed dr i ed and partially dried aspen and wi llow st i cks iol l owed by 3-4 i nches of fresh l y picked sph a gn un moss and freshl y cut, chop ped up l eafy poplar t wig . Fourtee n-gauge stove wire was strung irom t he bast ~ oi the 16.0 inch-long dowels mounted around the edges of the platform to slots in the hor i zontal and slanted components oi the sup~ort brackets. Stove wire '\S also strung in an open zi g-zag fashion beneath the pl atform bttwtt n the two horizontal components of the support brackets. Dried aspen and irtsh-cut willow saplings we r e we dg ed into the wire web to cover the bottom of the platform, and smalle r t wigs oi aspen and willow wtre wedged into the nest at downward angles just above the platform to h idt the edges of the platform. A nearby the top eagles. · dead spruce tree, several other bushy-topped live spruce trees and of the nest tree provide some potential perching places for resting The nest tree is located on t he river side oi a large, relatively open stand of s pruce trees growing along the west bank of the river. The nest tree directly overlooks the river ~s clear waters. The river contains Arctic grayl i ng <Thnmallus arcticus>. The nest tr~• is shor te r than some of the neighboring trees, but is a re l atively prominent <but no t domi nant> member of the stand because it occurs at the downstream tnd of the stand . Tht completed nest facts southeast. It is pr obably visable irom the natural nts t at Nesting Location BE-2. Oshetna Rive r No. 1 wa s surveyed by light fixed-wing a ;rcraft on 28 May 1986. The nest was empty and in good condition. [The nearby natural nest <BE-2> was also empty. However, one adult bald eagle was incubating in a second nearby artificial nest <Oshetna River No.2>--see below]. Oshetna River No. 2 <BAEA.HFN.04> Oshetna River No. 2 is an artificial bald eagle stick nest in a tree on the west bank of the lower Oshttna River about 2.2 ai r milts <2.3 river milts) upstream from the confluence of the Oshetna and Susitna rivers, and about 0.3 mile downstream from Oshetna River No. 1 on the boundary of Sect i ons 9 and 16, T29N R11E, Talkeetna Mountains C-1 Quadrangle ( i gure 4). The nest was built to represent an alternate nest site at an existing nesting location in tht middle basin of the Susitna Ri ver drainage <see Platts 9, 10 11 and 12>. Tht nearest known naturally-occurring bald eagle nesting location <Nest i ng Location BE-2> i s located about 200 yards ups~rtam from the artificial site. It contains only one known usable nest site. Bald eagles built t he nest in a spruce tree in 1985 to replace another nest in a spruce tree that fell down dur i ng t he winter of 1984-1985 about 0.5 ai~-mile farther downstream along the west bank of the Oshetna Ri ver. The fallen nest was surveyed by aircraft and found act i ve in 1980, 1981 and 1984. The replacement nest still contained one completely feathered, re a dy-to-fledge nestling on 4 September 1985 <Sus i tna Hydroelectric Project Memorandum from D. G. Roseneau, P. J. Bente and J. D. Woolington, LGL Alaska toR. B. Sener, LGL Al aska , 6 De cember 1985). <Prtvloul bald taglt nt1t lltt> <Lost dUring •lnttr 1984-1985> 1980 -actlvt 1981 -.... u .. 1984 -actltt 1985-ntst trtt falltn ~ I 0 f ....l--(.1 L• I _, • I I ~ ,.1 I I r 1 II I I 0 .-- 13 I'." I I ·I ~~') \ r-~V . ,·· <. I {' I ' 11 <Currt t bald taglt nt1t sitt> <Bui l t by bald t&glts spring 1915> 1985 -activt (succtssful) 'TALKEETNA MOUNTAINS (C-1) QUADRANGLE I MATANUSKA -SUSITNA BOROUGH-ALASKA I :63 360 SERIES OPOGRAPHIC) SC ALE 1.63360 I , • lol l lf ~ -~-=--· -l -· 11000 1')0'() I <()() Jl f [P }-I 1-· I I I -I ::1 I 1 J .,,L O Jo~lH RS ~:·.-· -I L_ CONTOU R INTERVAL 'iO f lfl Figure 4. The location of <U'tificial nest sites Oshetna Rive r No.2 and Os hetna River No. 1, Oshetna River, Alaska and the nearest neigh oring bald eagle nestin g location <BE-2> in the middle basin of the Susitna River drainage. The artificial nests were built in the immediate vicinity of the s i ngle nest site at bald eagle nesting location BE-2 to provide new, prev i ously unavailable a lternate nest sites at BE-2. 1 4 Tht artificial nest was i nstalled about 57 fttt about ground on tht southeast sidt of a 7~ foot-tall livt whitt spruce tr~e on 28 August 198~. Tht nest trtt was located about 75 fttt west of tht rivtr ntar tht tdge of a stand of white spruce trets. The nest tret's diamtttr at breast htight <DBH> and diamtttr at ntst htight <DNH> wtre about 15 inches and 7 inches, respectively. The nest was built in about 7 hours timt <as measured from the time personnel firs~ ascended the tree to tht time they returned to the ground>. Tht platform supporting the nest was prefabricated from a 4 x 5 foot piect of 0.75 inch-thick marint plywood cut into an octagonal shape by sawing 10 inches from the corntrs. Patttrns of vertical 1.25 inch-diamettr holts, and vertica l and angled 0.75 inch-diamtttr holts wert drilltd in tht platform to allow good drainage and for installing ltngths of 0.75 inch-diamtttr hardwood doweling. Seventeen pitcts of 16 inch-long 0.7~ inch-diamtttr dowelin g wtrt cut for eventual insertion into the outer round of 0.7~ inch-diameter holts drilled at about 40 dtgrtt outward angles through 0.75 inch thick, 4.0 x 4.0 inch-squart plywood blocks fasttntd around tht perimeter of the platform. [Only stventetn pieces of 16.0 inch-long doweling art nttdtd because at ltast one of tht 0.75 inch-diameter holts ntartst tht trtt trunk is typically ltft tmptyl. Eightttn pitcts of 12 inch-long and four pitcts of 5 inch-long 0.75 inch-diamtttr doweling wtrt also cut for tvtntual insertion into the inner round of 0.75 inch-diamtttr holts drilled at about 20 degree outward angles several inches back from the first round of dowel-holes and the 0.75 inch-diamtttr holts drilled at 90 dtgrtt angles near tht center of tht platform. The platform and doweling wert staled with two coats of flat gray txttrior latex paint <Glidden Exterior Latex in Kiwi tont>. The tdges and bottom surfact of the platform wert camouflagtd by strtaks of quick-drying flat brown, black and dark gray spray paint <Dap lnc. Dtrusto primtr> btfort tht platform was taktn into tht field. Several streaks of gretn spray paint wert also applitd to tht bottom of tht platform just btfort it was mounted in the trtt. Tht platform was mounttd i n tht tree by bolting it down onto two support brackets prtfabricattd from Stetl City slotttd right-anglt stttl stock <thrtt 1.5 inch-long, 0.38 inch-di~ettr bolts ptr side) after bolting the support brackets onto opposite sides of the tret trunk <ant 3.5 inch-long and two 4.5 inch long, 0.38 inch-diameter lagbolts per sidt>. The two horizontal compon nts for tht support brackets wtrt made from 5 foot-long piects of RA-300 stock, and the two vertical and two slanttd components we r t made from 3 foot-long pitces of RA-225 stock. Tht back-brace was madt from one 8 inch-long pitct of RA-225 stock cut to ltngth on-sitt. Tht back-bract was stcurtd to tht tree by ont 3.~ inch-lclng 1 0.38 inch-diameter lagbolt. The 3 foot-long and 5 foot-long support bracket components wtrt given ont coat of flat gray mttal primtr and camouflaged by streaks of brown and black mttal primtr btfort bting taktn into tht fitld <Dap Inc. Dtru~to primtrs>. Tht fresh-cut back-bract tnds wtrt painted on-~itt. Tht ntst was madt from 8-10 foot ltngths of 1 inch-~iamtttr <at-the-butt> aspen saplings cut and dried for one year, and similar-siztd partially dried willow saplings. Tht saplings wert woven between the 16.0 inch-long and 12.0 i nch-long hardwood dowels after the dowel-butts wert coated with glut and driven into plact on tht platform <Weldwood water pr oof resorcinol glue). Short 1-2 foot-long lengths of 1 inch-diameter and smaller dried aspen and willow wtrt instrttd at varying angtls bttwttn the two rows of saplings to compl ete the woutn rim of the nest. 15 Tht ntst w~s filltd with about 6-8 inchts of tightly p~cktd frtsh-cut grttn spruct boughs. The spru e boughs wtre covertd by 3-4 inches of short, criss-crosstd dried ~nd p~rti~lly dritd ~spen and willow s~plings followed by 3-4 inches of frtshly picktd sphagnu~ moss, freshly cut leaf y popl~r twigs and freshly picktd grass. Fourtttn-g~ugt stovt wirt was strung from tht basts of tht 16.0 inch-long dowtls ~ounttd around the edges of the platform to slots in the horizonta l and slanted components of 1ht support br~cktts. Stovt wirt was also strung in an optn zig-zag fashion across tht bottom of the platform bttwttn the two horizontal components of tht support brackets. L~rgt, frtsh-cut spruce boughs wert instrttd into tht wire wtb to cover the bottom of the platform, and smalltr spruce boughs wert wedgtd at downward angles betwttn tht bottom of the ntst and the top of tht platform to hidt tht edges of tht platform. Stvtral ntarby bushy-topptd livt spruce trets and the top of tht nest tret provide some potential perching places for resting eagles. Tht nest trte is located within • stmi-optn stand of spruce trees growing along the west sidt of tht river. Tht ntst trtt dots not directly overlook the river, but tht river's clear waters can bt sttn from tht nest. Tht rivtr contains Arctic grayling. Tht nest tree is not an tsptcially dominant or prominent mtmbtr of tht stand. lndetd, it is a relatively average membtr of tht stand. Tht completed nest facts southeast. It is not visablt from tht natural nest at Nesting Location BE-2. Oshttna River No.2 was surveyed by light fixed-wing aircraft on 28 May 1986. Ont adult bald taglt was incubating in tht nest. (Tht nearby natural nest <BE-2> and tht second artificial nest <Oshetna River No. 1> wtrt tmpty and in good condition --Stt abovel. Kosina River No. 1 <BAEA.AFN.OS> Kosin a River No. 1 is an artificial bald taglt stick nest in a trtt at tht confluence of Kosin& and Gilbert crttks about 5.5 milts upstream from tht conflutnce of Kosina Crtek and tht Susitna Rivtr in Section 9, T30N R8E, Talkeetna Mountains C-2 Quadrangle <Figure 5), Tht nest was built to reprtstnt an tntirtlY ntw nesting location within the middle basin of the Susitna River drainage (stt Platts 13, 14 and 15). The nearest known naturally-oc ~urring bald eagle nesting location <Nesting Location BE-4> is located along tht north bank of tht Susitna Rivtr about 6 air milts from tht artificial location. It contains two known nest sites. Ont of the ntsts is located on a cliff and may have bttn originally built by golden eagles <Aauila hrYsaetos>. The cliff-nest was surveyed by ~ircraft and bald eagles wtrt found nesting in it in 1974, 1981 and 1984. It was empty and partially fallen from tht cliff in 1995. Bald eagles built tht second ntst in a livt balsam poplar trtt about 300-400 yards upstream from the cliff-nest during spring 1985. Tht trtt-nest was probably built as an alternatt to the cliff-nest because snow apparently remained in the cliff-nest until well after bald tag es normally lay eggs. Two nestlings fledged from the trtt-ntst during late August 1985 <Susitna Hydroelectric Project Memorandum from D. G. Roseneau, P. J. Bente and J.D. Woolington, LGL Alaska toR. B. Stntr, LGL Alaska, 6 Dtct~btr 1985>. I 1974 -activt ·1981 -actlvt 1984 -actlvt · 1985 -ntst btginnln 1 6 I , t I ~ ' . { . I ~~ ,.,. ' I 11 <Artificial 111t sitt) <Built on 29 Aug 1985> I I I I \ I l t' I' I !/ I ) ')I I \I I I ) ) J ' . - I 1\ II I , \ I 0 2 ) f S Kll0f4[f[A'$ :c -::=:::::;;;3 CONTOUR INTER VAL 100 FEET Figure 5. Tht location of artificial nest site Kosina Creek No. 1, Kosina Creek, Alaska and the nearest neighboring bald eagle nesting location <BE-4> in the middle basin of the Susitna River drainage. The artificial nest was built several miles away from BE-4, but within the hunting territory u~ed by a pair of eagles nesting at BE-4 in 1985. The location was selected to provide a new previously unavailable alternate nesting location for the pair in subsequent years <the artificial nest might also serve as a new, previously unavailable nesting location that might attract another pair of bald eagles to the middle basin of the Susitna River drainage). ar 0 17 cificial ntst was installed about 33 fttt abovt ground on tht southwest a 43 foot-tall live whitt spruce trtt on 29 August 1985. Tht ntst b tr at Tht sidt trtt ~bout ne~r nest wtrt 4.7 the hol t iflf w; ,, 1ocattd ntar tht point of land between Gilbert and Kosin& creeks !5 feet west of Gilbert Cretk ~nd about 75-100 fett t~st of Kos i na Crttk 10 ~~llt r spruce trtts and a Sr~all st~nd of bals~ poplar trees. The te ~s diameter ~t br t ~st tight <DBH> and diameter at nest height <ONH> •out 18 inches and 7 inches, rtsptctivtly. Tht nest was built i n about rs time <as n~tasurtd fr0r1 the time personnel first ascended tht trtt to Tht pll 0. 75 in from th &nd ang dr~in~g• Sntnttt ntntu~ 1 about ~ p ~ )'WOOd t p ltCeS ' inch-dia pitcu d~~l ing: incn-dia bacio. fr dr i lltd Tht ph httx p surf act brown, p Jatform also ap tree. ' Tht pl{ brackets 1 .5 i ncl br~cktts ' inch lc componen1 RA-300 1 foot-I on~ inch-lon~ secured 1 The 3 fc of fht prir~tr t frtsh-cut Tht nut aspen sa willow s they rtturntd to the ground). tforr~ supporting the nest w~s prtf~bricattd frOI'I a 4 x 5 foot pitct of ch-thick m~rint plYWOOd cut into an octagonal shape by s~wing 10 inchts 1 corners. Patttrns of vtrtic~l 1.25 inch-di~tttr holts, ~nd vtrtic~l ltd 0.75 inch-di~tttr holts wert drilled in tht platform to allow good ~nd for installing ltngths of 0.75 inch-di~tttr hardwood dowtl ing. n pitcts of 16 inch-long 0.75 inch-di~tttr doweling wert cut for insertion into tht outtr round of 0.75 inch-di~tttr holts drilltd at 0 dtgrtt outward angles through 0 .75 inch thick, 4.0 x 4 0 inch-square blocks fasttntd around t ht ptrimtttr of tht pl~tform. [C ly stvtntttn ~f 16.0 inch-long doweling ~rt nttdtd btcaust at least ont of the 0.75 Rtttr holts nearest the trtt trunk is typically left empty], Eighteen >i 12 inch-long and four pieces of 5 inch-long 0.75 inch-di~tter wtrt aho cut f r eventual insertion into tht inner round of 0.75 ttttr holts drille d at ~bout 20 dtgrtt outward angles several inches ,. the first round of dowel-holts and tht 0.75 inch-diameter holts •t 90 degree angles ne~r the ctnttr of the platform. tform and doweling wert staled with two coats of flat gray txttri or lint <Gliddtn Exterior Latex in Kiwi tont>. Tht tdges and bottom of the platform wtrt c~ouflagtd by streaks of quick-drying flat )lack ~nd dark gray spray p~int <D~p Inc. Dtrusto prir~tr> btfort the was taken into the fitld. Stveral streaks of green spray paint wtrt •litd to tht bottom of tht platform just btfort it was r~ounttd in the form was r~ounttd in tht trtt by bolting it down onto two support prtfabricated from Stttl City slotted right-angle steel stock <thrtt -long, 0.38 inch-di~tttr bolts per sidt> ~fttr bolting tht support onto oppositt sidts of the tree trunk <ont 3.5 inch-long ~nd two 4.5 •ng, 0.38 inch-di&r~tttr l~gbolts ptr side>. Tht two hortzontal s for the support brackets wtrt made from 5 foot-long pieces of tock, and the two vertical ~nd two slanted components wert madt from 3 pieces of RA-300 stock. Tht b~ck-bract w~s r~adt from ont 8 piece of RA-300 stock cut to length on-site. Tht back-bract was o the trtt by ont 3.5 inch-long, 0.38 inch-di~tttr l~gbolt. ot-long ~nd 5 foot-long support bracket components wtrt given one coat gr~y mtt~l prir~tr and c~ouflagtd by strt~ks of brown ~nd black r~et~l tfore being taken into the fitld <D~p Inc. Dtrusto prin~ers). Tht back-br~ct ends wtrt p~inttd on-site. w~s · made from 8-10 foot lengths of 1 inch-di~eter <~t-th t -butt> )lings cut and dried for one ye~r, and simil~r-siztd parti~lly dritd aplings. Tht s~plings wert wovtn between the 16.0 inch-long and 12.0 18 inch-long hardwood dowtl~ a~ttr tht dowtl-butts wtrt coattd wi th glut and drivtn into plact on tht plat~orm <Weldwood waterproo~ resorc i nol glut). Short t-2 ~oot-long ltngths o~ 1 inch-d i ~tter and ~aller dr i ed aspen and willow wtre inserttd at varying angles bttwetn the two rows of sapl i ngs to c~plete tht woven ri~ of tht ntst. Tht nest was ~illtd ~ith about 6-8 inches o~ tightly packtd ~rtsh-cut grttn spruce boughs. The spruct boughs wtrt covtred by 3-4 inchts o~ short, crlss-crosstd d~ied and partially dried aspen and willow sticks followtd by 3-4 inchts o~ ~rtshly picked sphagnu~ moss and frtshly cut, chopptd up lea~y poplar twigs. Fourtttn-gaugt stout wire was strung ~rom t ht basts of tht 16.0 inch-long dowels ~ounttd around tht tdgts o~ tht platform to slots in tht horizontal and slanttd c~pontnts o~ tht support bracktts. Stout wirt was also strung in an optn zig-zag fashion btntath tht platform betwttn tht two horizontal c~pontnts o~ tht support bracktts. Large, frtsh-cut spruct boughs wtrt instrttd into tht wirt wtb to covtr tht .bott~ of tht platform, and ~aller spruct boughs wert wtdgtd at downward anglts bttwetn tht bottom of tht ntst and tht top o~ tht plat~or~ to hidt tht edgts of tht platform. Stvtral ntarby bals~ poplar trtts and tht top of tht ntst trtt providt somt pottntial ptrching placts ~or rtsting tagles. Tht ntst trtt is a pr~intnt ~taturt at tht junction of tht two Arctic grayling-~illtd cltar~attr crttks. It stands ntarly alont on tht point of land bttwttn tht crttks accompanitd by two ~alltr livt and two ~alltr dtad spruct trtts, and a ~all stand o~ shorter balsam poplar trtts. The compltted ntst facts southwtst. Kosin& Crttk No. 1 was surveytd by light fixed~ing aircraft on 28 Hay 1986. Tht nest was t~pty and in good condition. Indian Rivtr No. l <BAEA.AAN.06> Indian Rivtr No. 1 is an artificial bald taglt stick ntst in a tret on an island in tht Susitna Rivtr about 4.8 air miles <~.3 rivtr milts) upstrt~ from tht conflutnct o~ tht Indian and Susitna rivers in Stction 31, T32N RtW, Talktttna Mountains D-6 Quadranglt <Figurt 6>. Tht ntst was built to reprtstnt an tntirtly ntw ntstlng location within the middle basin oi tht Susitna Rivtr drainagt <stt Platts 16, 17 and 18>. Tht nearest known naturally-occurring bald eaglt nesting location <Nesting Location BE-8> is locattd about 4.3 air milts <4.6 rivtr milts> downstream from tht arti~icial location. It contains only ont known usable nest sitt in a dtad, unstablt balsam poplar trtt. Tht ntst was survtytd by aircraft and found to bt activt in 1974, 1980, 1981 and 1984. Bald eaglts also attempted to nest at it in 198~; howtver, tht pair ~ailtd. Tht ~allure was liktlY caustd by htavy winter snowfalls, an unusually cool, latt spring and snow rtmaining in tht ntst until wtll after normal egg-laying timt. A~ttr failing, tht pair continutd frtqutnting the vicinity of tht ntst at least until tarly Stptt~btr <Susitna Hydrotltctric Project Htmorandu~ from D. G. Rostntau, P. J. Btntt and J.D. Woolington, LGL Alaska toR. B. Stntr, LGL Alaska, 6 Dtce~btr 198~). 19 1974 • ICtilll 1980 -ICtlvt 1981 -ICtilll 1984 -actlvt 1985-actlvt (failtd att 4 Mll[S ~~~be~~====»>0======~~====~=====,~~====~~~~==3=~,~~====1~1~~rH1 ~DB~~--~o:=:=:=3=====e=~15==e=====e=~==--==~=--====&==3~K~~~ CONTOUR INT ERVAL 100 FEET Figure 6. The l ocation of artificial nest site Indian River No. 1, Susitna River, Alaska and the nearest neighboring bald eagle nesting location <BE-8> in the middle basin of the Susitna River drainage. The artificial nest was built several mi les away from BE-8 and another artif i cial nest <Indian River No. 2> to prov i de a new, previously unavailable nesting location that might attract another air of bald eagles to the middle basin of t he Susitna River drainage. 20 The &rt i f i c i a l nest was i nsta ll ed about 75 feet above grou nd in t he 1 utheasttr ly -ope ni ng cro tch of & 100 foot-tal l li ve b&l s~ pop l a r tree on 2 Septt uer 1985 . The nest trtt was loc&ted on tht n&r r ow port i on of a l ar ge i sland i n the Sus i tna River about 100 feet south from the i s l an 's north short . Tht nest trtt 't d i ~tttr &t brt&s t he i ght <DBH > w&s abou t 42 i nches . The diameters of tht limbs forming the crotch contain i ng the artif i c i a l nes t wert about 12 -14 inches. Tht nest was built in about 11 hours ti me <as measured from tht t ime pe r sonnel first &sctnded tht tree to the t ime the y returned to the ground). Tht platform support i ng the nest was prtfabric&ted from & 4 x 5 foot p i ece of 0.75 inch-th i ck m&r i ne pl~ood cut into &n octagon&l shape by sawing 10 i nches from tht corners. Patterns of vtrtic&l 1.25 inch-diameter holts, and vertical and angled 0.75 inch-diameter holts wert drilled in tht platform to allow good drainage and for installing lengths of 0.75 in c h-diamttlr hardwood doweling. Stvtntttn pieces of 16 inch-long 0.75 inch-diamtter dowt l ing wert cut for eventual i nsertion into the outer round of 0.75 inch-di~tttr holts drilled at abo ut 40 dtgrtt outw&rd &nglts through 0.75 inch thick, 4.0 x 4.0 inch-square plyW Ood blocks fas t tntd around the perimeter of the platform. COnly seventeen pieces of 16.0 inch-long doweling art nttded because at least ont of the 0.75 inch-di~tttr holts nearest tht tree trunk is typically left empty). Eighteen pieces of 12 inch-long and four pitcts of 5 inch-long 0.75 inch-di~ettr doweling wert &lso cut for eventual insertion into the inner round of 0.75 inch-d i ameter holts drilltd at about 20 degree outward anglts several inch e s back from the first round of dowel-holts and the 0.75 inch-di~tter holes drilled at 90 dtgrte angles near tht center of the p1atform. Tht platform and doweling wert sealed with two coats of flat gray exterior la t ex pai n t <Glidden Exttrior L&tex in Kiw i tone). The edges and bottom surface of the platform wert camouflaged b y streaks of quick-drying flat brown, black and dark gray spray paint <D&p Inc . Dtrusto primer> before the platform w&s taken into the field. The platform was mounted in the tree using methods improvised to take advantage of the tree 's l ar~t natural crotch. Two 5 foot-long pieces of RA-300 Steel City slotted right-angle steel stock wert bolted horizontally bttwttn three up r ight limbs to form & tr&pizoid-~haptd support for tht platform <two 6.0 inch-long lagbolts per piece>. The platform was bolted down onto the two hor i zontal sttel supports after it was modified to fit bttween the limbs by tr imming about 10 inches from one of its corners <three 1.5 Inch-long, 0.38 inch-diameter bolts per side>. The 5 foot-long stttl supports wert givtn one coat of flat gray metal pr imer and camouflaged by streaks of brown and black mttal pr imer before being tak e n into the fit l d <Dap Inc. Dtrusto primers>. The nest was madt f~om 8-10 foot lengths of 1 inch-diamtttr <at-the-butt) aspen s&plings cut and dr i ed for ont year, similar-sized partially dried willow saplings and similar-siztd fresh-cut alder saplings Tht saplings wtre woven bttwttn . tht 16.0 inch-long and 12.0 inch-long hardwood dowels after the dowe l~butts were coated with glut and driven into place on the platform <Weldwood waterproof resorcinol glut), Short 1-2 foot-long l e ng ths of 1 inch-diameter and smaller dr i ed aspen and willow wert inserttd &t varying anglts bttwttn tht two r ows of saplings to complete the wovtn rim of tht nest . 21 Th• n•st was ~illed wit h about 6-8 inches o~ dried and partilly dried aspen and willow sapl1ngs. The short, criss-crossed aspen and willow sticks were cover•d by 3-4 inches o~ ~reshly cut, cho td up lea~y willow twigs ~ollowed by 2-3 inches of sphagnum moss and freshly p ick ed grass . Tht bottom of the platform was not covered by sticks because the painted plyWood was relatively well hidden by shadows and the crotch of the tree. Several dead or dying branches on several large neighbor in g poplar trees provide some potent i al perching places ~or rest i ng eagl e s. The nest tree is one of se veral large, scattered bals~ poplar trees grow in g on th t rtlatively narrow downstre~ port i on of the island. The trtts art clearly prominent features of the island. Tht understory consists of dtnse 15-20 fo ot-tall alder stands. A slough used by spawning chum salmon <On c orhynchus !t!!> lies directly north of a nd in sight of the nest tree along the r i vtr ~s north bank. Indi an River No. was surveyed by light htlicopter on 2 October 1985. Ont adult bald eagle was perched opposite the nest in a neighboring tree about 30 feet from and at tht l ev el of the nest <R. Stner, ptrs, comm. 3 October 1985). The nest was resurveyed by fixed-wing aircraft on 28 Hay 1986. The nest was empty and in good condition. Several short poplar sticks wert present in the nest cup . The sticks wtre not placed there during nest construction. They wert probably placed there by the adult eagle seen near the nest the previous fa 11 • Indian River No. 2 <BAEA.AFN.07> Indian Ri ver No. 2 is an artificial bald eagle stick nest in a tree on the northwest bank of the Susitna River about 0.4 air milts <also about 0.4 r i ver miles> upstre~ ~rom the confluence o~ the Indian and Susitna rivers in Section 10, T31N R2W, Talkeetna Mountains D-6 Quadrangle <Figure 7). It was built to represent an alternate nest site at an existing nesting location in the mi ddle basin of the Susitna Ri ver drainage (see Plates 19, 20 and 21>. The nearest known n turally-occurring bald eagle nesting location <Nesting Location BE-8> i s located about 150 yards upstream from the artificial location. It contains only one known usable nest site in a dead, unstable balsam poplar tree. The nest was surveyed by aircraft and found to be active in 1974, 1980, 1981 and 1984. Bald eagles also attempted to nest at it in 1985; however, the pair failed. The failure was likely caused by an unusually cool, late spring and snow rema1n1ng in the nest until well after normal egg-lay i ng time. After failing, the pair continued frequtnting the vicinity of t he nest at least until early September <Susitna Hydroelectric Pro j ect Memorandum from D. G. Roseneau, P. J. Bente and J.D. Woolington, LGL Alaska toR. B. Sener, LGL Alaska, 6 December 1985>. The artificial nest was installed about 78 feet ~bove ground on the eastnortheast side of a 110 foot-tall live bals~ poplar tree on 3 September 1985. The nest tree was located along the northwest side of the Susitna River about 25 feet from the river~s bank. The nest tree~s diameter at breast height <DBH> and diameter at nest height <DNH> were about 28 inches and 16 i nches, respectively. Ont of the tree~s large limbs was cut off about 3 feet from tht trunk to provide room for mounting the artificial nest <the cut was 22 1974 -actlvt 1980 -activt 1981 -activt 1984 -actlvt 1985-actlvt <failtd att CONTOUR INT ERVAL 100 FEET Figure 7. The locat i on of artificial nest s tt e Indian River No.2, Susi 1na River, Alaska and the nearest neighboring bald eagle nesting location <BE-8> in the middle basin of the Susitna River dr~ina ye . The artificial nest was built in the immediate vicinity of the single nest site at bald eagle nesti ng loca ion BE-8 to provide a new, previously unavailable alternate nest si t e at BE-8. 23 ~•dt so that tht u~ard curving stub o4 tht li~b rtsttd against tht bottom o4 the nest platfor~>. Tht ntst was built in ~bout 10 hours timt <as mtasurtd fr~ tht ti~t ptrsonntl 4irst asctndtd tht trtt to tht timt thtY rtturntd to tht ground>. Tht plat4o ~ supporting ·tht ntst was prt4abricattd from a 4 x 5 foot pitct of 0.75 inch-thick •arint plywood cut into an octagonal shapt by sawing 10 inchts fr~ tht corntrs. Patttrns of vtrtical 1.25 inch-di~Rtttr holts, and vtrtical and angltd 0.75 inch-di~tttr holts wtrt dr il ltd in tht plat4or~ to allow good draina91 and 4or installing ltngths o4 0.75 inch-di~tttr hardwood dowtling. Stvtntttn pitcts of 16 inch-long 0.75 inch-di~tttr dowtling wtrt cut for tvtntual instrtion into tht outtr round of 0.75 inch-di~tttr holts drilltd at about 40 dtgrtt outward anglts through 0.75 inch thick, 4 .0 x 4.0 inch-squar t plywood blocks 4asttntd around tht pt r imtttr o4 tht platform. lOn y stvtntetn pitcts of 16.0 inch-long dowtling art nttdtd btcaust at ltast ont of tht 0.75 inch-di~tttr holts ntartst tht trtt trunk is typicall y lt4t tmpty1. Eightttn pitcts of 12 inch-long and 4our pitcts o4 5 inch-long 0.75 inch-diamttt r dowtling wtrt also cut for tvtntual instrtion into tht inntr round o4 0.75 inch-di~tttr holts drilltd at about 20 degrtt outward anglts stvtral inchts back 4rom tht 4irst round o4 dowtl-holts and tht 0.75 inch-diamtter holts drilltd at 90 dtgrtt anglts ntar tht ctnttr o4 tht plat4orm. Tht platfor~ and dowtling wtre staltd with two coats o4 flat gray txttrior lattx paint <Gliddtn Exttrior Lattx in Kiwi tont>. Tht tdgts and bottom sur4act of tht plat4or~ wtrt c~ouflagtd by strtaks o4 quick-drying flat brown, black and dark gray spray paint <Oap Inc. Otrusto primtr> btfort tht platfor~ was taktn into tht 4itld. Tht platform was mounttd in tht trtt by bolting it down onto two support bracktts prtfabricated from Sttel City slotttd right-anglt stttl stock <thret 1.5 inch-long, 0.38 inch-di~tter bolts ptr sidt> after bolting tht support bracktts onto oppositt sidts o4 tht trtt trunk <thrtt 6,0 inch long, .38 inch-diamtttr lagbolts ptr sidt). Tht platform was also lagbolttd dirtct ly onto tht upward curving butt of a largt sawn off limb resting against the bottom ctnttr o4 tht platform <ont 4.5 inch-long, 0 .38 inch-di~tttr lagbolt>. Tht two horizontal and two vtrtical compontnts for tht support bracktts wtre madt from two 5 foot-long and two 3 foot-long pitcts o4 RA-300 stock, rtsptctivtly. Tht two slanttd compontnts wtrt madt from two 3 foot-long pitcts o4 RA-225 stock. Tht back-bract was madt from ont 14 in~h-long pitct of RA-225 stock cut to ltngth on-sitt. Tht back-brace was stcurtd to the trte by ont 4.5 inch-long, 0.38 inch-diamtttr lagbolt. Th 3 foot-long and 5 foot-long support bracktt compontnts wert given ont coat of flat gray mttal primtr and camouflagtd by strtaks of brown and black metal pr imtr before bting taktn into tht 4itld <Oap Inc. Oerusto primtrs>. Tht f r tsh-cut back-bract tnds wtrt painttd on-sitt. Th t ntst was madt 4rom 8-10 4oot l e ngths of 1 inch-diamtttr <at-the-butt> ~~ptn saplings cut and dried for ont ytar, similar-siztd parti~lly dritd willow saplings and similar-siztd frtsh-cut aldtr saplings. Tht saplings were wovtn bttwttn tht 16.0 inch-long and 12.0 inch-long hardwood dowels afttr the dowtl-butts wtrt coattd with glut and driven into plact on the plat4orm <Wtldwood wattrproo4 rtsorcinol glut>. Short 1-2 foot-long lengths of 1 inch-diamtttr and smaller dritd asptn and wi l low wert inserted at varying anglts betwttn tht two rows of saplings to compltte tht wovtn rim of tht ntst. 24 Tht ntst ~as filltd with about 6-8 inches of part i ally dried willow sapl i ngs. Tht short, criss-crosstd willow sticks were covered by 3-4 inches of frtshly cut, chopped up ltafy willow and aldtr twi s mixed with 2-3 inches of sphagnum moss and frtshly picked grass. Fourtttn-gaugt stout wire was strung from the basts of tht 16.0 inch-long dowtls mounttd around the tdgts of tht platform to slots in the horizontal and slanted compontnts of tht support brackets. Stove wirt was also strung in an open zig-zag fashion btntath tht platform between tht two horizontal c~pontnts of tht support bracktts. Dry ~illow saplings and fresh-cut, leafy aldtr branchts wtrt instrttd into the wire wtb to covtr the bottom of tht platform, and smalltr aldtr and willow branches wtrt ~tdgtd at downward angles bttwetn tht bottom of tht ntst and the top of the platform to hidt the edges of tht platform. A largt ptrching place ~as made by selectively pruning ont of tht nest tree~s limbs about 10 fttt about tht nest. The branches of several nearby po p lar trtes al~o provide some potential perching places for resting taglts. Tht ntst trtt is located on tht river sidt of a rtlativtlY dtnst stand of largt bals~ poplar trtts. lt directly overlooks tht Susitna Rivtr, but it is not an tsptcially prominent membtr of tht stand. A slough ustd by spawning chum salmon runs dirtctly bthind tht nest trtt along tht rivtr~s northwest bank. Tht compltttd ntst faces eastnortheast. It is not in direct line-of-sight of tht natural ntst at Ntsting Location BE-8. Indian River No. 2 was surveyed by light helicopter on 2 Octobtr 1985. The ntst was empty and in good condition <R. Stntr, ptrs. comm. 3 October 1985>. The nest ~as rtsurveytd by light fixtd-wing aircraft on 28 May 1986. Th e nest ~as tmpty and in good condition. [Ont adult bald eaglt was incubating in tht nearby natural nest <BE-8>1. Deadman Crttk No. 1 <BAEA.ANS/AFN.01> Deadman Crttk No. 1 is a artificial bald taglt stick nest on top of an artificial nesting st r ucturt standing along the northwtst sidt of Deadman Crttk about 5.0 air milts north of tht Susitna River on tht boundrary between Sections 34 and 35, T33N R5W, Talktetna Mountains D-3 Quadranglt <Figurt 8). Tht ntst and ntsting structurt wtre built to represent an alternatt nest site at an existing ntsting location in tht middle basin of the Sus1tna River drainage <see Platts 22, 23 1 24 1 25 and 26>. Tht nearest known naturally-occurring bald eagle nesting location <N sting Location BE-6> is located about 75 yards southwest of tht artificial locat i on. It contain s only ont known usable nest site in a bals~ poplar tree. Tht nest was surveyed by aircraft and found to bt active in 1980 1 1981 and 984. Bald eaglts also attempttd to nest at it in 1985; however, tht pair failed. The failure was liktly caustd by an unusually cool, latt spring and snow rtmaining in the ntst until ~ell after normal tgg-laying timt. After failing , the pair continutd frequenting tht vicinity of tht nest at least until latt August <D. G. Rostntau, P. J. Btntt and J.D. Woolington, unpubl. data). The artificial nest and aluminum tripod nesting structure wert assembled on the ground about 200 yards from the structure~s final location on 30 August 1985. Tht compltttd nesting structur ~ and nest were moved by light helicopter 22 _. (1 25 25 <Artificial ntst ~tructurt> <Artificial ntst sitt> <Built 30-31 Au 1985> <Currtnt bald taglt ntst sltt) I \ 1980 -actlvt 1981 -activt 1984 -actlvt 1985-activt <failtd att.-pt> ~ " ; ;.\ ... 18 _--·.::,/ -··\_ ---.. -- ~·,··.~~ ~·vo -> 'I) ' . I i I . I -~-:. ' _, \ \ ·r - \ 30 SCALE I 63360 -' 27 I ~ 0 ) 4 MIL(S F3 F3 E3 E3 F3 ~--. -~ ---==-....:..=_-:.:=J lOOO 0 )000 6000 C)()()() 11t'()O I SO(() 19000 1 1('00 r[(T F3 F3 F3 '='3 -r==-.=t~ E"'?"3 e-::?'"1 :=~-=-= r=-·-r::· 1 -:-_k-:-c _-, ~ 1 r -1 I !> 0 I 1 ) 4 "-l't1 LQ 114[T~£S ~ ,..,, n--~ "'Z-~--====-·.:.~ ~~ ---1 -... - . I 1 CONTOUR INT ERV AL 100 FEET Figure B. Tht location of artificial nesting structure and nest site Deadman Creek No. 1, Deadman Creek, Alaska and the nearest nPighboring bald eagle nesting location <BE-6> in the middle basin of the Su~itna River drainage. Tht artificial nest was built in the immediate v i cinity of the single nest sitt at bald eagle nesting location BE-6 to provide a new, previously unavailable alternatt nest site at BE-6. 26 into a small clear i ng in an open stand of ~hite spruce trees about 75 yards northeast of the natural nes t and about 100 yards north of Deadman Creek on 31 August 1985. The tripod and nest ~ere built in about 12 hours time. Rigg i ng, moving and anchoring the structure required another 2 hours t ime. The 35 foot-tall tripod nesting structure ~as prefabricated from high-grade 0 .25 inch-thick Reynolds Aluminum Supply Company aluminum plate and No. 6061 T6 Schedule 80 structural aluminum p i pe. The 3 foot-d i amtttr head-plate and six 17 inch-long, 7.5 inch-~idt chan nel-plates ~ere cut from 0.25 inch-thick aluminum plate. Tht channel-plates ~er e htli-arc ~tlded to the bottom surface of the head-platt, forming thrtt evtnly spaced, radiating 4.5 inch~ide, 7.5 inch-dttp hinge-channels for tht pipe legs. [Futurt modtls ~ill have 6 inch-diamtter bract plates cut from 0.25 inch-thick plate ~tlded ovtr the center of tht channtls to provide additional strength]. One 0.75 inch-diamettr holt ~as drilltd through tht ct n ttr of the head-plate. Thret 0.39 inch-diamtter holts ~tre drilled at evtn intervals through the htad-plate i n ·~~ the optn channtls for 0.39 inch-diamtttr, 1.5 inch-long platform bol t s. Th re e 0.38 inch-diamtttr holes ~ert also drilltd at evtn intervals through the hea d-plate btt~een tht optn c hannels for 0.38 inch-diameter, 6.0 inch-long pe r ch-support bolts. One 0.5 inch-diameter holt ~as drilltd horizontally through tach of tht hing -channels 3 inchts from the bottoms of the channel's side-plates and 4 inches back from the outer edgt of the head-plate for 0.5 inch-diamtttr bolts for hinging tht ltgs to tht head-plate. [Future models ~ill havt t~o 0.39 inch-diameter holes drilled at evtn intervals bet~ten t~o of the thret radiating hinge-channels for 0.38 inch-diameter, 2.0 inch-long perch-support boltsl. The thrte 40 foot-long tripod ltgs ~tre prefabricated from six 20 foot-long piects of 3.5 inch outside-diamettr (3 inch inside-diameter>, 0.25 inch-thick pipe (i.e., two pieces ptr ltg> and thret 5 foot-long inserts of 3 inch outsidt-diameter <2.5 inch outside-diameter>, 0.25 inch-thick pipe <three pitces per tripod), [Future modtls will use 6 foot-long instrtsl. The 5 foot-long inserts and 20 foot-long pitces of pipe were matched and holes wtre drilltd for 5 inch-long, 0.38 inch-diameter hex-bolts fitted ~ith flat and locking washers and lock-nuts at intervals of 6 1 18 and 24 inches f r om the edges of the i nsert-filled joints (i.e., six bolts per ltg>. lFuturt modtls wil l havt 0.38 inch-diamtter holts dr i lled at 6 1 18 and 30 inch intervals]. Singlt 0.5 inc -diamtttr holes ~trt also drilltd 4 inchts from the tnds of th e 40 foot-long ltgs for 6 inch-long, 0.5 inch-diamtttr htx-bolts fit ted with nylon bushings, flat and locking washers, .and lock-nuts for hinging the prefabricattd head-platt to the finishtd ltgs (i.t., one 0,5 inch-diameter hex-bolt per leg>. Single 0.5 inch-diamtttr holes wtrt also drilltd 5 inches from the opposite ends <i.e., tht foot-ends) of tht 40 foot-long legs for 24 inch-long pieces of 0.5 inch-diamettr threaded rod <ont pitct ptr ltg> for hinging prefabricattd foot-pads to the tripod legs. Singlt 0.38 'nch-diameter holts ~ere also drilltd 3 fttt from tht foot-tnd of each 40 foot-long leg for 6 inch-long, 0.38 inch-diamtttr eye-bolts fitted with flat and locking washers and lock-nuts <ont bolt ptr ltg) for anchoring tht tripod ltgs to th e ground. Three 20 x 21 inch foot-pads <ont for tach tripod ltg) were prefabricated from thrtt 8 foot-long pieces of treated 4 x 4 inch rough-cut cedar. Four 21 inch-long pitcts of ctdar wtre stparat d by t~o 6 inch-long pitcts of ctdar leaving a central holt measuring 4 inches ~ide and 9 inches long. The cedar 'square' was bolted togtthtr with three tqual-spaced 24 inch-long pieces of 0.5 inch-diamtttr thrtadtd rod fit t ed with flat and locking washtrs and lock 27 nuts. Tht ctntral pitct of th r tadtd rod st r ved as tht hinge bolt for attachinQ tht finishtd foot-pads to t ht rtsptctivt tr i pod ltgs. £Future ~odtls wil l h&vt foot-pads prtf&bric&tf d fr om 20 x 20 i nch pitcts of 0.25-0.5 Inch-thick alu~in~ trtadplatt and two p itcts of 8 inch-long, l inch x 1 i nc h r i ght -ang lt alu~inu~ stock]. All txpostd ~tt&l c~pontnts of the trip od wtrt pa i nttd with two coats of flat gray ~•tal pri~tr before bti ng ktn into tht fitld <Dap Inc. Dtrusto primer>. [Futurt ~odtls will use &lu~inun ri ntr a nd narint-gradt paint, and tht ltgs will bt partially c~oufl&gtd by s r t ks of flat brown , black and dark gray spray p&intsl. Tht platforn supporting tht ntst on tht tri od htad-platt was prtfabric&ttd fran & 4 x 5 foot pitct of 0.75 inch-th i ck m&rint plywood cut into an octagonal shapt by sawing 10 inchts from tht c orntrs. Patttrns of vtrtical 1.25 inch-dianettr holts, and vertical and & gltd 0.75 inch-diantttr holts wtrt drilltd in tht platform to allow good drainagt and for installing ltngths of 0.75 inch-diamtttr hardwood dowtling. Eight t n pitcts of 16 inch-long 0.75 inch-diamtttr dowtling wtrt cut for tvtntual insertion into tht outtr round of 0.75 inch-di~tttr holts drilltd at about 4 dtgret ou tward anglts through 0.75 inch thick, 4.0 x 4.0 inch-squart pl yw ood blocks fasttntd around tht ptri~tttr of tht platform. Eightetn piects of 12 inch-long and four pitcts of 5 inch-long 0.75 inch-di~tttr dowtling wtrt a lso cut for tvtntual insertion into the inntr round of 0.75 inch-dianettr hol ts drilled at &bout 20 dtgrtt outward anglts stvtral inchts bac k from the fir s t round of dowtl-holes and tht 0.75 inch-diamtttr holts drilled at 90 degrt t an glts nt&r tht ctnter of the platforn. Tht platforn and dowtling wtrt staltd with two coats of l lat gray txttrior latex paint <Gliddtn Exttrior L&ttx in Kiwi tone>. Tht edgts and bottom surfact of tht platform wert canoufl&gtd by streaks of quick-dry i ng flat . brown, black and dark gray spray paint <Dap Inc. Dtrusto primtr> btfore the pl&tforn was taken into the fitld. Holts wtrt drilltd in tht platform to ~atch tht 0.38 inch-di&mtttr holts in tht aluninum htad-pl&tt. Tht platfor~ was attachtd to the tripod htad-platt with si 2.0 inch-long, 0.39 inch-dlantttr bolts. Tht nes t was ~&dt from 8-10 foot lengths of 1 inch-diamettr <at-the-butt> asptn saplings cut und dritd for ont Ytar, and simil&r-s !~td partially dried willow saplings. Tht saplings wtrt wovtn bttwttn tht 16.0 inch-long and 12.0 inch-long hardWood dowels aft t r tht dowtl-butts wtrt co&ttd with glut and ri ven into plact on tht platform <Wtldwood wattrproof resorcinol glut>. Sh ort 1-2 foot-long ltngths of 1 i nch-diamtttr and smalltr dritd aspen and will ow wtrt instrttd at varying anglts bttween tht two rows of saplings to conplttt tht woven rin of t ht ntst . Tht ntst was f i lltd with about 6-8 inchts of dritd asptn saplings. The sho r t, cr i ss-crosstd & ptn sticks wtrt covertd by 3-4 inchts of frtshly cu t, chopped up ltafy, dwa r f Dirch br a nches mixtd with 2-3 inchts of sphagnum moss, 1 ichtns and frtshly pickt d grass. The tripod ptrch was m&dt by bolting two 15-16 inch-long pitcts of 4 x 4 inch ctd&r to tht bottom of tht tripod ht&d-pl&tt (btfore tht ntsting platform was attachtd>. Two 7-8 foot-long pitcts of 4-5 inch-diantttr dritd spruct polts wtrt lagbolttd to tht tnds of tht ct da r and furthtr stcurtd by sidt-supports 28 and kntt-bracts of RA-22S slotttd right-anglt stttl stoc k . Ont 9-10 foot-long, 4-S inch-di~tttr dritd spruct polt was stcurtd bttwttn tht two upright polts with wirt wrapping. Futurt ptrchts for alu~inun tripods will bt bolttd onto short pitcts of RA-22S slotttd right-anglt stttl stock bolted to two sidts of tht bott~s of tht tripod htad-platts and supporttd by RA-22S kntt-bractsl. Tht tripod ltgs wtrt individually anchortd to tht ground by pitct5 of 0.38 inch-di.mtttr plastic-coattd cablt running bttwttn 0.38 inch-diamtt~r tyt-bolts nounttd on tach ltg, largt aluninum turnbucklts and 30 inch-long, o.s inch-diantttr stttl scrtw-anchors sunk into tht ground. Tht cable was fasttntd to tach conp ntnt by standard, htavy-duty cablt-cl~ps. Tht scrtw-anchors wtrt stt about 3-4 fttt insidt from tht tnds of tht ltgs along li nts projtcting dirtctly und~r tht ctnttr of tht standing tripod. Tht conpltttd structurt and ntst art in dirtct l in t-of-sight of tht ntarby natural ntst <BE-6>. Tht artificial ntst facts southsouthwtst. Dtadnan Crttk No. 1 was survtytd by light" htlicopttr on 2 Octobtr 198S. Tht ntst was tnpty and in good condition <R. Stntr, ptrs. c~. 3 Octobtr 1985>. Tht ntst was rtsurvtytd by light fixtd-wing aircraft on 28 Hay 1986. Tht otst was tnpty and in good condition. [Ont adult bald taglt was incubating in tht ntarby natural ntst <BE-6)], littraturt Cittd Grubb, T. G. 1980. Artificial bald tag1t ntst structurt. U. S. Forest Strv., Rocky Htn. Fortst and Rangt Exptr. Stat., Ttnpt, Arizona Work Unit Rts.Nott RH-383. Ttmpt, Az. 4 pp. Grubb. T. G. 1983. Bald taglt activity at an artificial ntst structurt in Arizona. Rap. Rts. 17: 114-121. lanb, K. C. and J. H. Baragtr. 1978. Bald taglt ntsting sitt stltction and artificial ntst platforn construction, Ruth lakt, Trinity County, lCaliforniaJ. Unpubl. U.S. Fortst Strv. rtp., Eurtka, Ca. 2S pp. Pinkowski, B. C. 1977. Michigan bird survey, summtr 1977. Jack-Pint Warbltr 55: 187-197. Postupalsky, S. 1978. Artificial ntsting platforms for osprtys and bald taglts. Pp. 3S-45 in S. A. Ttmplt (td.>. Endangtrtd birds: managtmtnt ttchniquts for prtstrvTng thrtattntd sptcits. Univ. Wisconsin Prtss. 466 pp. Ttnplt, S. A. 1978. Endangtrtd birds: nanagtmtnt ttchniquts for prtstrving thrtattntd sptcits. Univ. Wisconsin Prtss. 466 pp. APPENDIX APPENDIX APPENDIX s' I I ~-o.s!....,·-------------4.5' 1 ~~~L:~::Kar n L 8Loneo I I) 0.38 ... 11 0.75"80LT AND LOCK HUT '-.. FLAT WASHER Figure 1. Neat aupport bracket. 0.38'x .76" BOLT AND LOCKING NUT RA -300 STEEL SLOTTED ANGLE SUPPORT BRACKETS Figure 2 . Overhead view ol hexagonal nesting plallorm. RA-300 STEEL SLOTTED ANGLE BACK-BRACE CUT TO LENGTH ON-SITE • :--, 6 ' ----------------------~. I 0.15 11 HOLES PREDRILLED AT -20° FOR MOUNTING 0 . 7 5 "x 12.HARDWOOD DOWELS 0.7511HOLES PREDRILLED AT-40°FOR MOUNTING 0. 75"x US" HARDWOOD DOWELS 0 .1511 HOLES PREDRILLED AT 80°FOR MOUNTING 0. 7511x a" HARDWOOD DOWELS 1.2611 HOLES PRE DRI L LED FOR DRAINAGE 0 .38"x 1.6" BOLTS AND FLAT LOCKING WASH CRS, AND LOCKING NUTS I I I I 1/ 0 .76 x 4 x 4 PLYWOOD BLOCKS PRE-ATTACHED TO UPPER SURFACE OF PLATFORM WITH WOOD SCREWS AND WATERPROOF GLUE RA-300 STEEL SLOTIED ANGLE BACK-BRACE 0 .31f X 0.76"' BOLT AND LOCKING NUT 0 .38'x 4-8'' LAGBOL TS AND FLAT WASHERS 1/ I / INNER ROUND OF 0 .76 x 12 HARDWOOD DOWELS MOUNTED AT-20° II II OUTER ROUND OF 0.76 x 18 HARDWOOD DOWELS MOUNTED AT* 40° 0 .7611x 6 11 HARDWOOD DOWELS MOUNTED AT 80° 0.7tf'x 4' x 6 1 MARINE r---------OR EXTERIOR GRADE PLYWOOD PLATFORM 0 .75 11x 18 11 HARDWOOD DOWEL----l RA-300 STEEL SLOTIED ---+--1 ANGLE SUPPORT BRACKET TREE TRUNK Figure 3 . Side view ol attached nesting platfor m. DRYWALL SCREWS NESTING PLATFORM II II 11 0 .76 x 4 k 4 PLYWO OD BLOCKS MOUNTED AROO ..... D PERIM ET ER OF PLATFORM TO SuPPORT OUTER ROUND OF DOWELS II "'4-5 OF COMPRESSED SPRUCE BOUGHS II 2-3 ·OF BROKEN STICKS ------ (50.7511 IN DIAMETER) -2'' OF SPHAGNUM MOSS WORKED INTO STICKS TO FILL HOLES ----......... 1-2" OF GRASS AND POPLAR TWIGS ---- LINING NEST CUP -18-20 " -s · e" _l _ EMBEDDED 0 .75"'x 18'" AND 0.75"x 1 HARDWOOD DOWELS PLYW PLATFORM Figure 4 . Croaa-aectlon of completed neat. 3-411 OF BROKEN STICKS (itO. 1511 IN DIAMETER ) ASPEN, WILLOW OR ALDER SAPLINGS ( 0.71-1.0"1N DIAMETER ) WOVEN AMONG INNER AND OUTER ROUNDS Of DOWELS RA-300 SLOTTED ANGLE STEEL SUPPORT BRACKETS STICKS WIRED TO BOTTOM OF PLATFORM TO PROVIDE NATURAL APPEARANCE s' -e.s-1' SPRAY PAINTE CAMOUFLAGE ~TTERN AND COVERED WITH BARK. GIRDLE LIMB TO PREVENT REGROWTH LIMBS PRUNED TO PROVIDE PERCHES -------LIMBS PRUNED TO OPEN UP CANOPY NEAR NEST I It • I I : I; :: ) I J 'I "' (ADDITIONAL PRUNING OF LIMBS IN NEARBY TREES TO PROVIDE . PERCHES) ft I • I I I .. 'a . ------~ # I~"'''-------- Figure 5. Side v i ew of completed nest in balsam poplar. Figure e. Side view of completed neat In white apruee. STAINLESS STEEL ----~~f===:r==~~ r ''; . SAFETY WIRE WRAPPING 0.75"' x 4' x 5 1 PLYWOOD NEST PLATFORM RA-225 STEEL SLOTTED --../ ANGLE PINCH BRACES 3.5* O .D. -------------------,(/ (3"' 1.0.) Reynold• Alu111lnu111 8081 T8 Schedule 80 atr11ctural pipe (1Wo 20 1 1e~gtha Joln~d by one 8 length of 3''0.D./2.5" 1.0. pipe) TUNDRA PAD a) LEG JOINT (aide view) 0.38.., x tl' boita flat aftd lootl ~-12 ·;· 12-,-8 ·i ./lock nuta \ , II II Wa 9Mra a11d I I I ,.,..,. 3 11 O.D. pipe 3.5"' O.D. pipe _____. flat waahera 8' ------------1 3.5"0.0 . pipe c) HEAOPLA TE (bottom view) Figure 7. Aluminum lrlpod nesting atructure. l .... .. ~ b) TUNDRA P A D (top view) 0.511 rod II 3.5 O.D • ....._ pipe leg 0.25-0.5"' aluaalnu• treadplate headplate (0.251 thlck aluminum plate) o.ri x e"'lllnge bolt. flat and lock waaher and lock nu I I ! L.4,5!l ---~ ~} 3" _j cMinnel platea hellarc wei~ to headplate 3.5 11 0.0. pipe leg d) HEAOPLATE/LEG HING E (aide view) Plat e I Tanana Ri cr Nu . I '• Plate 2 ·anana River o . I Plate 3 Tanana River No. 2 Plate 4 Tanana Rh·er ~o. 2 Plate 5 Tanana River ~o. 2 Plate 6 Osbetna River No.1 ... Plate 9 Oshetna Riv r No. 2 Plate 7 Osbetna River No. 1 Plate 8 Osbetna River No. 1 Plate 6 Oshetna River No. 1 Plate 9 Oshetna Ri ver No. 2 Plate 10 P he tna River o. 2 : Plate 11 0 hetna River o. 2 Plate 12 0 hetna River No. 2 -------- Plate 13 Ko ina reek . · o. l Plate 15 Kosina Creek o. 1 Plate 16 Indian iver o. 1 Plate 17 lnd ~an ive r o. I -• ~I • tnd1an Kaver o. 1 Plate 19 Indian River ' . 2 Plate 20 Indian River No. 2 Plate 22 0 a dman reek . o. 1 Plat e 2' Deadman r eek ~o . l Plate 2-& eadm n C n Plate 25 Deadman reek . o. l Plate 1 Deadman Creek