Transmitter allows researchers to keep tabs on eagle

Azalea, one of three eagles born in the Norfolk Botanical Garden nest this spring, has been on an extended holiday, exploring the Chesapeake Bay region this summer and fall.

Biologists at the Center for Conservation Biology in Williamsburg are able to keep tabs on Azalea because she was outfitted with a lightweight satellite transmitter while still a nestling. After the youngster fledged, her movements have been tracked to discover where eagles in this area of Virginia go after they leave their nests.

So far Azalea has done what most other eagles in the Chesapeake Bay region have done. She made a virtual beeline for a favorite eagle stomping ground at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay in Northumberland County. (Editor's note: An earlier version of this article misidentified the site as on the Potomac River around Caledon Natural Area in Prince George.)

Reese Lukei, a research associate with the conservation biology center, has been keeping tabs on Azalea. He updates the public on her travels on the center's EagleTrak, which can be found at http://eagletrak.blogs.wm.edu.

Lukei spoke about Azalea's tour of the Chesapeake Bay at a program at Norfolk Botanical Garden last weekend.

Before Azalea took off for the Potomac River, she made a brief maiden voyage south to northeastern North Carolina and then swung back into Virginia where she has remained ever since, Lukei told the group.

After exploring her hometown for a bit, she headed for the food-rich Potomac River area. She takes side trips back and forth to areas along the Rappahannock River.

Generally, the transmitter tracks Azalea's movements every hour in daylight, but the transmitter runs on solar power, so it doesn't always do well in extended periods of cloudy weather.

The satellite data is actually collected by a company in France and then relayed back to the Center via e-mail, Lukei explained. The same system tracks sea turtles equipped with satellite transmitters and released from the Virginia Aquarium and other places.

Most of the eagles with transmitters were born in the upper Chesapeake Bay. Although Azalea is the first eagle from South Hampton Roads to be outfitted with one, her birthplace has not made much difference in her travel choices.

She seems to love the same dining area along the Potomac River as the others do. Eagles also sometimes hang out in big numbers along the James River near Hopewell and along the Rappahannock River near Tappahannock, Lukei said.

Lukei said he expects to see Azalea and her siblings back at the garden sometime this winter.

It will be close to five years before the youngsters become old enough to mate. When they do settle down, it will probably be within 30 miles of their botanical garden nest. In the meantime, siblings will probably continue to hang out along Virginia rivers and travel back down here to visit.

If that's not what Azalea chooses to do, Lukei will know. The satellite transmitters usually last about three years.

Mom and Pop eagle already have been seen flying around the botanical garden and bringing sticks to the nest, though they also leave for a week or two at a time.

The WVEC-TV Web cam that focuses on the eagle nest at the garden should be up and running again by the time there is continuous activity at the nest, often as early as December.

The parents will probably be on eggs in January and their babies should hatch in March. Then Azalea will have to share the attention with a new set of siblings as eagle watchers jump back and forth between the EagleTrak and the Web cam.