Folks,
It is with great sorrow that I offer this report. On Monday night June 
9, sometime during the fierce thunderstorm that tore through Germantown, 
one of our park's resident adult bald eagles was electrocuted. As 
required by law, the body has been shipped to the Bald Eagle Repository 
in Colorado to officially determine the cause of death. When I held the 
eagle's lifeless body in my arms, I could still sense the strength of 
spirit he/she possessed in life.

We believe this bird was one of the adults who nested successfully in 
our park the last three years. This year's two juveniles recently 
fledged and the remaining parent must continue to supply food to them. 
If you visit the park, please report your bald eagle sightings and 
observations to the naturalist staff at Black Hill Visitor Center. We 
are particularly interested in knowing how successful the remaining 
adult bald eagle is in securing food for the young.

Over the years, the resilience of these eagles has astounded me. They 
have endured trains, car traffic, wildfires, park police and fire/rescue 
sirens, crowds of people, gangs, snipers, a reporter/photographer who 
attempted to climb the nest tree, and an unwelcoming land owner. This 
season they nested in the yard of tenants who had large gatherings of 
people for night parties and barbecues.

Hundreds of first-time birders who attended my weekly winter waterfowl 
walks became converts at the sight of their first bald eagle. Countless 
others were awakened to the beauty of nature when an eagle soared over 
their fishing boat or picnic table. So this eagle's death is not in vain.

I had better stop before my keyboard becomes drenched in tears. If 
anyone would like more details, please contact me at 
 301 444-3142.

Denise Gibbs
Park Naturalist
Black Hill Visitor Center