Juneau airport to remove eagle nest quickly

[Donna]

JUNEAU, Alaska - Juneau International Airport officials say that they will have to act quicker than expected in removing an eagle's nest on airport grounds.

The Juneau Empire reports that last month the airport received a permit from the federal government to move the eagles' nest. Officials wanted to wait until an environmental impact study is completed to do so.

But the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is not extending the permit's expiration beyond March, 2011, said Airport Manager Jeannie Johnson. And a biologist says eagles begin their nesting preparations in February.

Nick Borchert, a U.S. Department of Agriculture wildlife biologist contracted to the airport, asked to be given authorization to act on the permit now, because waiting until March 2011 will put the airport at risk of possibly having an active eagles' nest for another season. He also said he believes it's important for the airport to not have any lapse in permit coverage.

"Based on the deadline of the permit, we might run long and end up with a bit of an issue - try to remove an existing nest after it's already active," he said. "It doesn't work that way."

Scott Frickey of the Fish and Wildlife Service, said eagles start getting active around Feb. 15. Once the eagles nest and lay an egg, it becomes off-limits for removal, so they need to watch for when the birds start dragging sticks to a nest site.

Borchert said he plans on tracking the birds after the removal.

Read more: Fairbanks Daily News-Miner - Juneau airport to remove eagle nest quickly