POWERGRAMS

9 ENVIRONMENT Josh Yerby graduated from Mississippi State and cheers for Alabama. So he isn't familiar with Auburn's stirring pregame eagle flyover ceremony at Jordan-Hare Stadium. But the Alabama Power Environmental Affairs specialist gets stirred up every January as part of a team counting eagles on company lakes. "For some reason, spotting a bald eagle never gets old," said Yerby, who in his regular job coordinates aquatic plant management. "I've seen a lot of them and I'm always surprised that it still gets my heart rate up." "I've had the privilege to see an eagle swoop down into a lake and catch a fish in its talons," said Chad Fitch, an Alabama Power biologist who coordinates the annual survey. "Seeing an eagle catching its food is an impressive sight every time." Fitch and Yerby were with some 15 Alabama Power employees and contractors from the Environmental Affairs Water and Field Services and Compliance Studies groups participating in the search-and- record mission the first two weeks of January. Why were employees looking for eagles and their nests? Several reasons. Surveys are conducted across America during January because it is peak nesting season for the national bird once threatened with extinction. Alabama Power voluntarily participated for more than a decade, but the surveys recently became a Federal Energy Regulatory Commission mandate when the company renewed licenses for its Coosa River dams. Another reason: "Alabama Power wants to be aware of the location of eagle nests on our property so measures can be taken to prevent eagles from being disturbed during power line or substation construction, or other similar activities," Fitch said. Although the bald eagle is no longer listed as an endangered species, the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act requires a 660-foot buffer around a nest tree during the October-May nesting season. A 330- foot buffer is required during non-nesting periods. "The bald eagle surveys are just part of Alabama Power's commitment to being a good steward to wildlife and the environment," said Environmental Affairs Supervisor Jason Carlee, who works with Fitch and Yerby. Surveys were conducted the first two weeks of January on Lakes Weiss, Smith, Martin and Neely Henry. A full day was devoted to each lake, with two or more Environmental Affairs employees in each boat cruising the shorelines looking for eagles and nests. Vehicles were also used at Weiss. Smith Lake, one of the company's largest reservoirs, drew seven APC employees and two from the U.S. Forest Service. The results: Six eagles were seen at both Smith and Weiss; five each at Martin and Neely Henry; and none at Harris. Next year, Lay and Logan Martin will rotate on, while Weiss and Neely Henry will rotate off the survey. Harris, Martin and Smith are surveyed annually. "The boat crews will travel along the shoreline searching for eagle nests and eagles flying or perched in trees," Fitch said. "Surveyors use binoculars or spotting scopes to detect eagles at long distances and to distinguish juvenile eagles from other large birds such as vultures." A GPS waypoint is recorded for each OH, SAY CAN EMPLOYEES CRUISE SHORELINES SEARCHING FOR NATIONAL BIRD BY GILBERT NICHOLSON

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