This one hits a little bit closer to home. Here in Florida and more specifically about 2 or 3 miles from where I live here in Largo, street construction on Walsingham Road was halted because of a bald eagle’s nest located nearby in a cell tower. Bay News 9 covered the story.
The Kiehls, Donna and Tom, are friends of mine and they own a business on Walsingham Road. When construction moves in under normal circumstances, it is always a struggle to maintain a good clientele. Tom and Donna kept a stiff upper lip through the process believing that when the project was complete, the upgraded street and sidewalks would help to enhance their business and sweeten the “drive by” appeal. They’ve been kicked while they’re down.
After construction was well underway, the eagles’ nest, perched high in a cell phone tower, was discovered and because of laws regulating the protection of species, no work could be done between October and May. Consequently, their business has suffered greatly and yet there appears to be little sympathy garnered toward the Kiehls and others in the area.
“The construction could possibly affect them because of noise levels,” said eagle expert Barbara Walker. “The other reason would be, if there were a lot of people on foot at the construction site, not just eagles but any birds can get scared off.”
That is a consideration of the eagles and their nesting site but has anyone thought that perhaps if the “noise” and foot traffic was really a problem, the eagles would not have nested there perhaps? And of course those wanting to protect the eagles, at the expense of running someone out of business, blame man for the eagles’ demise.
Experts say construction projects are often put on hold because of eagles’ nests. They say more eagles are nesting in cell phone towers because of a decline in natural habitat, like pine trees.
This may be true but the same experts fail to tell the whole story. Another reason eagles are nesting in cell phone towers is because there are more eagles in battle over the same amount of habitat. Those evil men, demonized by the animal rights groups, have done such a great job protecting the eagle, there are now more of them than ever. Over protection can be as big a concern as under protection.
The eagle is not an endangered species. It may not be as prevalent to some as they would like – they want to see an eagle in everyone’s back yard tree – but it is far from endangered. In places like Alaska, eagles have become a nuisance, taking over areas leaving their mess behind and doing a number on other prey species.
In Maine, where bald eagles were recently removed from the states protection list, there’s a problem of eagles preying on great cormorant’s nests killing the young and consequently putting survival of the great cormorant in some kind of jeopardy.
I want to protect any species but the one at the top of my list is my fellow man, friend or not. While environmentalists continue to rule this country, people like the Kiehls suffer economically at their expense. This is shameful. Construction should be allowed to continue while these environmentalists can give up their day jobs and take turns monitoring the effects of the construction on the eaglets. That only seems right.
Tom Remington
