Eagles Resist City's Eviction Efforts

By Stephanie Joyce

Thursday, April 11 2013

Every spring, Unalaska prepares to do battle with the national bird. Eagles become territorial when they nest, and that sometimes leads to attacks on unsuspecting pedestrians. This year, the city tried to preempt the bird blitz by destroying the nest of a particularly combative pair. But as KUCB’s Stephanie Joyce reports, the eagles weren’t so easily thwarted.

Clinic Director Eileen Scott was among the first to notice that the eagles had rebuilt. Her office faces the cliff, and she watched as the pair carried stick after stick to their new perch.

[Sound of blinds opening]

Scott: "So, it's right there, above where the silver light post is. It’s about five feet above that, and it’s actually twenty feet lower than what it was last year.”

Twenty feet closer to the sidewalk, and to passersby. The eagles’ original nest was removed because the pair had sent at least half a dozen people to the clinic over the last few years, and Scott says they took the removal personally.

Scott: “I don't know if they have an axe to grind because we took away their house or what, but they're not happy this year.”

Not eager to tangle with eagle talons, Scott has become hypervigilant.

Scott: “Well, usually I see one of them right above the clinic building, so I make sure I have my key to get into the building, and my briefcase, and I walk very, very fast to the door to hurry up and put the key in to unlock the door to get in, just as a precaution.”

Scott isn’t the only one who takes care when in the vicinity of the clinic. Ben Bolock regularly passes the pair while out running.

Bolock: “Even today, I ran past there, and I had my dog with me, and I went the wide way through the clinic parking and put my hood up and gazed back a few times. And people were probably wondering, ‘why is that guy running through the parking lot when he could be on the sidewalk?’” Just to get a little bit better view and see them coming a little quicker.”

Bolock has good reason to be afraid -- a few years ago he was out running at night and an eagle swooped at him from behind, puncturing his scalp.

Bolock: “I was only on the island for two months, so I wasn’t really aware that eagles attack just yet.”

Since then, Bolock’s been swooped at least a half dozen times, and he’s also seen others get attacked. Bolock is from Ohio and he says three years ago, the idea of destroying an eagle’s nest would have shocked him. But he wasn’t upset when the city hired Advanced Blasting to get rid of the clinic nest in January.

Bolock: “I was so excited that they had the nest fixed by the clinic and then, you know, I almost stopped in my tracks when I saw two birds perched right next to it. I’m like ‘no! no!’ It’s like a bad dream.”

$15,000 worth of hydraulics work and wire mesh didn’t stop the eagles from rebuilding. As city manager Chris Hladick put it:

Hladick: “We tried to fool Mother Nature, and She didn't get fooled.”

Since the engineered solution failed, the city decided to go a little more low-tech. On Friday night, the fire department took a hose to the cliff, and knocked down the accumulation of sticks, with the federal government’s blessing.

But there’s no guarantee the eagles won’t come back. That’s why there’s still a spray-painted sign warning, “Danger: Nesting Eagles” at the bottom of the cliff. Just in case.

[In Unalaska, I'm SJ]

Charlene on Saturday, April 20 2013:

Good advice, as it is easy to have a false sense of security about the eagles.
You can cross the walking bridge while they are perched on top, and dump your trash at the landfill among them, and they don't bother you.
But while they are protecting their babies, is when you have to be careful.

ANNA LEAVY on Saturday, April 20 2013:

about 2 years ago an eagle swooped down and got me on the side of the head. I had to go get a tetnus shot. I say let the eagles be. The same way you would be aware of your surrounding for an attacker, you should be aware of the eagles. if you know they are around, and they are, then be on your toes. why disturb them, this is their home too. so, from someone who has been attacked i still say let them be.

blah blah blah on Wednesday, April 17 2013:

Lived here for 25 years - i'll be here for the next 50 - and I personally think it is ridiculous to have resources spent on this kind of problem. i'd like to know how much the city spent on the "eagle issue."

seems like everyone who's had a problem lately is wishing they still lived in suburbia. sorry to break it to you, but you're in the aleutians, and you better get used to our raptor population.

Tim on Wednesday, April 17 2013:

ps... In 30 years here I have also had 3,000 or so good encounters with eagles. And the Bruce Lee mode I was in was defensive.

Be aware of eagles. I have had 3 close encounters with eagles at the wrong place and the wrong time in 30 years.

Once behind the Library/Senior center and once next to Dutch Harbor Post office; the eagle was protecting her nest and diving for us. And one time in the old AC parking lot when an eagle went swooping down silently going for my small puppy who was completely unaware.

Thank God all three times I was aware and intercepted the eagle with hands in the air and loud voice; Bruce Lee mode.

Stephanie Joyce on Tuesday, April 16 2013:

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Poked and Running Scared on Monday, April 15 2013:

I have a hard time understanding why some folks are upset at people who have been left bleeding after being ATTACKED by a huge bird with very sharp talons, while minding their own business going about daily routines. I am one of those who has been left to deal with the emotional backlash, I am scared to death of eagles now and that's not easy when you can find them everywhere. Don't judge till it happens to YOU!

Animal friendly but understanding on Sunday, April 14 2013:

Has anyone missed the prominent nest that went away this winter? I know I don't.

Animal friendly on Friday, April 12 2013:

I think the majority of everyone is taking the story WAY out of context. We have a pretty small island here and no one is trying to get rid of any eagles or take away from the beautiful place we live in.

The main point of the story is that there is a sidewalk right in front of the nesting area. People everyday walk and run past that area. Yes you can run out to summers bay but if you trying to go further than 12 miles you will end up going through the entire island.

People are just exercising caution- some of you are being ridiculous as to blame anyone for being attacked. It's mother nature- things will happen you don't need to point the blame anywhere especially at people who are simply telling their story- get over it.

Peacefully Coexist on Friday, April 12 2013:

The road to Summer's Bay is open, and is a much more scenic route to run. You can get a good ten miler in going that way, more if you continue up to Morris Cove. We don't need to antagonize them when we know this is going to happen each year at this time.

peace out on Friday, April 12 2013:

Awe, the beautiful Eagle of Unalaska, oh wait the Aleutian Vulture? I just think it's scary that the city pays to do something and "wham, bam" it will cost more because the job wasn't done right! Hummm, maybe the whole darn mountain side needs covered! Then Ben can jog freely and the eagles can nest on the light pole!

Just a common peasant on Friday, April 12 2013:

It's no wonder we have all these pesky Eagles here in town cause the city has been feeding them at the landfill for decades. Maybe we should just put out poison and get rid of all of them once and for all. Too bad the fire department can't find better things to play their games on. As for the runners-why would they want to deliberately run under a known Eagles nest and then have the nerve to complain about it. Errrrrrrrr

Clarence on Friday, April 12 2013:

I agree that people could jog somewhere else, but when eagles are attacking people so close to the clinic, that's not okay. Elderly or small children or just slow sick people could be seriously harmed. Moving the nest is not harming the eagles, they can move somewhere else where eagles don't mix with people.

Valarie on Thursday, April 11 2013:

What is happening to this beautiful place? People are decimating the wildlife in the lower 48 and now they bring that same mentality to the island just because the animal doesn't fit into or cater to your lifestyle. Until the eaglets have left the nest just try jogging somewhere else. Be thankful that you have had the good fortune to live in such wonderful place!

Drew on Thursday, April 11 2013:

If I ever see a crew attempting to eradicate any species from this beautiful place I will protest by sitting in front of their blasting site. May this be a warning to anyone and everyone trying to remove something so sacred to this wonderful planet.

Charlene on Thursday, April 11 2013:

For the record, it was actually Labor Day I got attacked, not Memorial Day.

James Mason on Thursday, April 11 2013:

People afraid of birds....this pair of eagles raised two healthy babies last year when most nests failed. I think it's outrageous the city is destroying the nest. Let the people who don't like eagles find someplace else to live. This is like moving in next to the airport and then suing because of the noise.

Life long resident on Thursday, April 11 2013:

Let's stop wasting money on eagles and their nests... They were here first..

Thanks for the update & please keep us posted. Similar to Ben, I was attacked last year on Memorial Day while jogging past the clinic and suffered 2 puncture wounds to the head.