December 2015
December 22: BP91 checked in today right at 12 noon -- release time! This was about 20 minutes or so before the bird was officially released.
December 23: Post-release, BP91 flew about a mile downstream before flying over the James River to Coggins Point. The stretch of river at this point is about 3/4 mile wide. The young bird roosted at Coggins Point overnight and checked in at about noon today.
December 28: BP91 hasn't flown too far in the past five days; she's been hanging around Powell's Creek, which is near Coggins Point. This creek is the west border of the James River National Wildlife Refuge, which is a well-known spot to see hundreds of Bald Eagles at different times of the year. BP91 has made a few ventures back and forth across the creek in the past three days. BP91 has made a few ventures back and forth across the creek in the past three days.
December 31: BP91 continues to remain around Powell's Creek.
January 2016
January 4: BP91 still remains around Powell's Creek, although has flown about two miles upstream in the past few days. Today, the bird checked in on the James River National Wildlife Refuge side of the small creek.
January 7: During the past few days, BP91 flew a couple miles inland, away from the James River. Today the bird checked in on the southwest side of the James River National Wildlife Refuge. BP91 is currently about 25 miles away from her release-mate, BP39.
January 11: Bald Eagle BP91 is still in the same area -- just southeast of the James River National Wildlife Refuge. The bird has been flying over fields and a few houses near Nobles Road.
January 14: Bald Eagle BP91 flew about two miles west during the past three days. The bird is still on the south border of the James River National Wildlife Refuge, at the intersection of Powell Creek and Nobles Swamp.
January 18: BP91 is still hanging out around the southwestern stretch of the James River National Wildlife Refuge. During this past weekend, the bird covered a stretch of refuge that is about a mile in length.
January 22: Happy one month release anniversary, BP91! BP91 is still hanging around the James River National Wildlife Refuge, across the river from where she was released last month at Berkeley.
Here's a look at the young eagle's travels during the past month:
January 25: BP91 spent this past weekend around the same location -- near James River National Wildlife Refuge. During the snow storm, the bird hunkered down in a stand of trees, but after the weather cleared on Sunday, January 24, the eagle flew about two miles north. At today's check-in at noon, BP91 was flying over Powell Creek.
February 4: For the past week, BP91 has remained near Powell Creek, on the western border of the James River National Wildlife Refuge. The bird seems to be following the river as she flies north and south.
February 9: BP91 is still near James River National Wildlife Refuge, although she has been gradually moving west in the past few days. The eagle is currently about three miles south of her release location at Berkeley Plantation.
February 16: During the week of February 9, BP91 continued to hang out on the western border of the James River National Wildlife Refuge. On February 13, the young eagle flew across the James River; at the point of her crossing, the river is about 1.5 miles wide. Today, the bird checked in on Bucklers Point, just east of Herring Creek. This spot is a little more than a mile east of Westover Plantation.
February 24: BP91 is still hanging out on the James River, just east of Westover Plantation. On February 17, she flew over the river to the James River National Wildlife Refuge. After staying there a day, she flew back over the James River on February 18.
March 2016
March 1: BP91 has been flying back and forth across the James River this past week; according to the tracking the bird flew over the river three different times. As of this morning, the bird was on the south side of the river at Tar Bay, directly across from Berkeley Plantation.
March 7: BP91 continues to explore the area around the James River. In the past week, the young bird flew approximately three miles west and is currently hanging out near Bailey Creek.
March 17: During the past 10 days, BP91 remained right around Bailey Creek, by the Hopewell Wastewater Treatment plant. This area is about 4.5 miles from the eagle's release site at Berkeley Plantation.
March 22: BP91 has been continuing to explore a one-mile stretch of the James River at the Hopewell Wastewater Treatment plant. On the Google Earth image, we're able to see a 1,300-foot long pier near the treatment plant; it appears as though on March 19, BP91 flew directly over the length of the pier.
March 30: The wastewater treatment plant must be a fun location for an eagle -- BP91 has remained on the stretch of the James River immediately beside the plant in the past week.
April 6: Bald Eagle BP91 continues to hang around the Hopewell Wastewater Treatment plant and Bailey Creek.
April 14: BP91 is moving around a lot, just not very far! The young eagle continues to hang out in a one-mile stretch of the James River by the Hopewell Wastewater Treatment plant and Bailey Creek.
April 22: BP91 continues to hang out at the Hopewell Wastewater Treatment Plant. Today, she checked in near the mouth of Bailey Creek.
May 2016
May 4: BP91 remains at the Hopewell Wastewater Treatment Plant, on the banks of the James River. Must be a good place for food!
May 9: After weeks of hanging around the Hopewell Wastewater Treatment Plant, BP91 took a trip five miles inland to Hopewell and Fort Lee. The bird is in a fairly urban area, and is within 0.18 miles of a Food Lion.
May 19: During the past 10 days, BP91 flew through Hopewell, back to the Hopewell Wastewater Treatment Plant, then across the James River to Eppes Island.
May 23: BP91 has been hanging out around Eppes Island for the past few days, and as of this morning, is spending some time on a tiny island in the middle of the James River.
June 6: Bald Eagle BP91 spent about a week on the tiny island in the middle of the James River before she left to explore Eppes Island again. The past few days, BP91 has been on the river bank near Bermuda Hundred, the first incorporated town in the English colony of Virginia.
June 13: On June 7, BP91 started to take a trip! That day, the young eagle flew about 41 miles south to Sussex County, Virginia. The following day, the eagle continued to fly south another 28 miles, until she reached the town of Murfreesboro, NC. Since then, BP91 has remained just south of the town.
June 20: During the past week, BP91 flew about 63 miles west, along the North Carolina-Virginia border. Since June 18, the bird has been at Lake Gaston, a 35-mile long hydroelectric reservoir in North Carolina and Virginia. This area is popular for fishing and water recreation.
June 27: BP91 is still at Lake Gaston in North Carolina, just a few miles south of the Virginia border.
July 7: Bald Eagle BP91 is still summering at Lake Gaston in North Carolina; this past week she's been on the south side of the lake.
July 15: BP91 has been continuing to explore Lake Gaston in the past week. The eagle has covered a five-mile stretch of the lake, and, as of today, is near the Lake Gaston Dam.
July 22: BP91 remains at Lake Gaston, near the Lake Gaston Dam.
July 29: BP91 has been cruising around the same inlet of Lake Gaston during the past week. The area is near the Lake Gaston Dam and the Lake Gaston Day Use Area.
August 2016
August 4: Another week at Lake Gaston! While the lake is 34 miles long, BP91 seems to like one small particular inlet and has spent yet another week flying over docks and houses near the dam.
August 10: Once again, BP91 spent another week at Lake Gaston!
August 18: BP91 spent another week flying around her favorite section of Lake Gaston, near Lake Gaston Dam and the Lake Gaston Day Use Area.
At today's check-in, she appeared to be visiting a very tiny island in the middle of Lake Gaston!
August 25: BP91 is still at Lake Gaston, though this past week, she covered a nine-mile stretch of the lake on both the north and south sides. At today's check-in, she was near the River Road bridge and Lakesview Restaurant.
August 30: BP91 finally left Lake Gaston on August 28 and crossed the border to Mecklenburg County, Virginia. The young eagle is now at Kerr Lake, which is Virginia's largest reservoir, with more than 850 miles of shoreline, covering about 50,000 acres.
September 2016
September 9: BP91 is still at Kerr Lake, and appears to be exploring a four-mile stretch of the lake, where many wildlife management areas are located. Most appropriately, the young bird has visited Eagle Point Wildlife Management Area, as well as Greenwood Wildlife Management Area, and Ivy Hill Wildlife Management Area.
September 16: Bald Eagle BP91 spent another week flying around Kerr Lake, visiting several wildlife management areas.
September 22: BP91 is still exploring Kerr Lake in Virginia; within the past week, she's flown a path of roughly 13 miles.
September 29: After another week at Kerr Lake, BP91 started flying north on September 28 through Mecklenburg County. The bird is roughly seven miles north of the lake now.
October 2016
October 5: BP91 continues to spend more time in south central Virginia. During the past week, the eagle flew from Mecklenburg County into Charlotte County, then east to Halifax County. The bird is now about 10 miles northeast of South Boston.
October 13: BP91 is back in North Carolina! During the past week, the young eagle made her way about 50 miles south to Person County, NC. Most of the journey was made on October 5-6, right after the eagle's last update. For the last week, the eagle has been hanging out at a remote location about nine miles west of Roxboro.
October 19: For the past six days, BP91 has remained in Person County, North Carolina. It appears as though the eagle is staying within a couple miles of a landfill.
October 30: Bald Eagle BP91 is still in Person County, North Carolina. The eagle is moving around, but staying with a couple square miles of the landfill.
