Migrating eagles already spotted on Lake Buchanan

“The first one was sighted Sept. 28,” Shawn Devaney said. “It was right as we were coming out of Fall Creek. It flew right across the bow of the boat.”

Since that date, Devaney said they’ve seen at least four more bald eagles.

Every fall, migrating bald eagles escape the cold northern weather. The upper reaches of Lake Buchanan and Colorado River attract several wintering bald eagles. With the open water, the birds can hunt for fish while their home waters are covered by ice.

“September is about the average time we see our first bald eagle,” Devaney said. “In the prime  season — December and January — we could see seven to eight birds at any given time. You never really know how many we’ll see. It really all depends.”

Devaney said the weather in the birds’ home range determines when they migrate.

“The eagles move south because the waters where they typically live freezes over,” he said. “So if it’s cold up north, they move south so they can find open water to catch fish.”

Bald eagles’ diet includes a large amount of fish.

The canyon walls and trees located along the Colorado River above Lake Buchanan provide the birds with places to look for fish. 

“And every cold front we get usually pushes a few more birds in,” Devaney said.

The migrating bald eagles generally stay in the area until March. But last year Devaney spotted several of the raptors as late as April and May. 

“That’s pretty late for this area,” he said. “But some of the birds looked like they might be carrying sticks, which is what they build they nests out of.”

Devaney said he couldn’t confirm that those birds were building a nest but said it’s possible. Texas is home to nesting eagles as well as migrating birds. The Llano River basin has served as the home for at least one nesting pair of bald eagles.

The Vanishing Texas River Cruise offers regular trips on Lake Buchanan and up the Colorado River to look for bald eagles. The four-hour Ultimate Eagle Cruise goes out most Saturdays from November through March. And they still offer the two-hour Scenic Wilderness Cruise several days a week.

In November, VTRC will join with the raptor-rescue organization Last Chance Forever for the first Freedom Flight Cruise.

“This is going to be a great experience,” Devaney said. “Last Chance Forever rescues and rehabilitates birds like eagles, hawks and ospreys. And those they can release back into the wild, they do.”

Devaney has known and worked with Last Chance Forever founder John Karger for almost two decades. In past years, Last Chance Forever staff has used the VTRC to release birds back into the wild.

“They release birds into the wild on a regular basis and we thought why not let them go up here,” Devaney said. “Starting Nov. 16, that will be the first ‘Freedom Flight.’”

Every third Sunday, Last Chance Forever will release rehabilitated raptors from the VTRC boat when the birds are ready, officials said.

“They may not release a bald eagle but they’ll have hawks, ospreys or even owls,” Devaney said. “And they’ll also bring several other birds that can’t be released but people can look at.”

While spotting a bald eagle in the wild is a remarkable experience, Devaney said witnessing the release of a raptor is a memory that will last a lifetime.

“People love it when they see something take off on it’s own and head back to the wild,” he said. “It’s something they’ll never forget.”

For more information on the cruises and Freedom Flights, go to www.vtrc.com or call (512) 756-6986. For more information on Last Chance Forever, go to www.lastchanceforever.org.

daniel@thepicayune.com