On the morning of March 25, Dane Ledbetter, USDA Wildlife Services Biologist and Laurence Schafer, USDA Statewide Airport coordinator successfully trapped a juvenile Bald Eagle on the NAS Whidbey Island airfield. The capture of this bird culminates several years’ worth of work to make the airfield safer for Bald Eagles and for the pilots who share the skies with this majestic symbol of our country. 

Not many people have the opportunity to see a Bald Eagle up close. Rear Adm. James Symonds, Navy Region Northwest, just happened to be visiting building 385 on the air station when Ledbetter came by with the bird.

“I’m in absolute awe of this beautiful and powerful creature,” said Symonds. “We’re doing the right thing looking for creative, humane solutions that will allow aircraft and birds to coexist in the Pacific Northwest.”

In 2006 the Airfield Manager obtained a harassment permit that allowed the Bird/Aircraft Strike Hazard (BASH) team to chase Bald Eagles off the runways. While that measure helped, it did not eliminate the threat. Every Spring Whidbey Island sees a surge in the local Bald Eagle population that corresponds to a marked increase in the amount of baitfish swimming the waters around the island. When this surge occurs, the airfield can have as many as a dozen Eagles orbiting overhead. This put the birds in unsafe proximity to aircraft operating at NAS Whidbey Island. 

In an effort to reduce this threat, the Airfield Manager and USDA Wildlife Services BASH team leader Ledbetter worked with state and federal organizations to obtain a permit for the trapping of Bald Eagles. In February 2009 the team received authorization to trap, band and relocate Bald Eagles. The awarding of this permit to NAS Whidbey Island was the first for a Department of Defense airfield and only the third permit issued for any airfield, civilian or military. 

With the successful capture of the Bald eagle last week, NAS Whidbey Island became the second airport in the country to trap and relocate a Bald Eagle. Ledbetter, an airfield expert, had already proven the effectiveness of trapping raptors. In the preceding three years he had trapped and relocated over 50 Red Tail hawks, the overwhelming majority of which stayed away from the air station following relocation. 

The Bald Eagle captured last week was banded and released in the Olympia area. Banding is an important part of the relocation effort because it allows the BASH team to validate the effectiveness of release sites and establish which birds are not candidates for trapping and relocating. 

The BASH team and the NAS Whidbey Island Operations staff will continue to pursue creative and innovative strategies for enhancing the safety for the local flying populace.