Fwd: Friends of Mason Neck State Park June 2020 Newsletter



Dear Mason Neck Citizens Association , June 2020 Newsletter Our Bald Eagle Population Continues to Grow      Photo by Randy Streufert                      If you had visited Mason Neck State Park twenty years ago, you would have been lucky to see a Bald Eagle.  Today, you can almost always find one flying over the park or roosting in a nearby tree. The Center for Conservation Biology's Eagle Nest Locator shows 27 Bald Eagle Nests on Mason Neck, all south of Colchester Road, including 6 nests in Mason Neck State Park.     The Bald Eagle population in the area has continued to grow along with rising populations in much of their historical habitat. When the Bald Eagle was designated as our national bird in 1872, there were about 100,000 nesting pairs of Bald Eagles in the lower 48 states. By 1963 that number had declined to 417 nesting pairs, and only 20 in Virginia, due largely to the widespread use of the pesticide DDT and the loss of habitat. Immature Bald Eagle; photo by Randy Streufert Thanks to protection under the Endangered Species Act and the ban on DDT, the population of Bald Eagles in the lower 48 states has grown to 10,000 nesting pairs, including 1,100 in Virginia. You can often see them flying overhead or roosting in trees along Belmont Bay to the north of the Visitor Center. Sometimes you can see them along Kane's Creek from the bird blind on the Eagle Spur Trail.    Bald Eagle Facts: -    Adult Bald Eagles weigh 10 to 14 pounds and have wingspans of 6 to 8 feet. -    They can carry about 1/3 of their body weight. -    Bald Eagles fly 30 miles per hour, and can dive at up to 100 miles per hour.   -    A Bald Eagle's eyesight is so sharp that it can spot a rabbit 2 miles away. -    Bald Eagles use their nests for many years, adding to it each spring.  The largest nest ever found was 9.5 feet in diameter, 20 feet deep and weighed almost 6,000 pounds. -    The young take about 35 days to hatch and 3 months before they can fly. The parents continue to care for them for 4 to 6 weeks after they begin flying. Osprey When you are looking for Bald Eagles at the park, don't confuse them with Osprey, which have white underparts and a broad brown line through their eye. Osprey; Photo by Randy Streufert    _________________________  Mason Neck State Park Continues to See Record Numbers of Visitors Get the most out of your visit to the Park! Memorial Day weekend began with a line of 70 cars waiting to get into the Park at opening time.  By early afternoon, the Park had reached capacity and cars had to be turned away. While not everyone has a flexible schedule, if you can visit on a weekday the Park is likely to be less crowded.  Weekends and holidays are very busy. Please remember to practice social distancing while enjoying your visit, and check for periodic updates on the status of the park on the Virginia State Park website. We're following the Governor's guidelines and will keep you posted as more amenities open up. ________________________ Please Help Us Support  Mason Neck State Park! If you are already a member of the Friends of Mason Neck State Park, Thank You! Your membership dues and donations help us to support the Park's activities, and also enable us to fund special events such as our Owl Moon evening each fall and the annual Swanfall Holiday Program at the Jammes House each December. We've had to suspend our activities for the past couple of months, but we're hopeful of being able to resume our many activities at the park in the near future.   If you aren't a member, or your membership has lapsed, you can become a member at Join the Friends of Mason Neck State Park. You can also donate to the Friends here.