By Andrew Berry
Harper is back! The SAME golden eagle we tracked in 2015 has been outfitted with a new tracker, giving us the chance to follow his migration journey yet again. His migration out of his winter habitat inside Bernheim began on March 9 in 2018, 3 days earlier than our previous tracking when he migrated on March 12, 2015. In 2015, his path led him across Fort Knox and across the Ohio River at West Point. By outfitting him with a new tracker, we can follow his 2018 migration and compare it to his 2015 locations, furthering our understanding of Bernheim’s golden eagles and their habitat needs.
This year, Harper’s path is headed north towards Louisville. After crossing over the Big Level area of Bernheim, he flew directly over the forested landscape of Jefferson Memorial Forest. He continued on to southwest Louisville, where he reached his peak height of 3188 feet over the city, over a half mile high, as he flew over by Iroquois Park. The route turned north at Dreamland Lake and crossed the Ohio River into Indiana. By evening our eagle had flown 58 miles in his first day of migration when he settled down near Salem, IN, roosting on the Blue River.
As we celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, join Bernheim as we continue the saga of Harper and the fascinating life of a golden eagle. With at least 228 species of birds documented from our 15,625 acres, Bernheim Arboretum and Research Forest offers year round birding opportunities in our diverse habitats and mature forests. Thank you for your continued support and interest in Bernheim and please stop into our visitor center for more information before heading out on your birding expeditions. Stay tuned as we provide updates on Harper and follow him on his journey into Canada.