A SHORT HISTORY OF THE FERRY BLUFF EAGLE COUNCIL
By Jean Clausen

            In March of 1988 a small group of people met to discuss the future of the eagles that were using Ferry Bluff as a night roost in winter. In July of that year the Ferry Bluff Eagle Sanctuary was incorporated. Its purpose, according to Rae Onstine, one of the founding members, was “to help manage the local roosts and feeding areas, to provide viewing areas for the public where (eagles) can be observed and photographed without being disturbed; and to study the habits of the wintering birds as an aid to future management.”

            A temporary viewing area was installed at the corner of the municipal parking lot in Prairie du Sac in December of 1988 and again in ‘89. With the cooperation of the village and some donated materials, a permanent Overlook was completed in December 1990. A kiosk for educational materials was added in January. An electrical fire destroyed this in 1993, but it was replaced in 1995. As often as possible with our limited membership, one or two members were stationed at the Overlook with telescopes to assist visitors during the active season, approximately late December to late February. After some experimentation, the hours settled down to two shifts, 9:00 to 11:00 and 11:00 to 1:00.

            Ferry Bluff was designated in 1988 as a State Natural Area. When management plans were being formulated roost counts begun in September by FBES members resulted in the decision by the DNR to close the area from November 15 to March 31, thus protecting roosting eagles from human encroachment. In the fall of ’89 the name of the organization was changed to Ferry Bluff Eagle Council as more representative of its purpose. Three interns from the ecology department of the University of California spent several weeks here in the summer of 1989. They mapped 15 miles of the river indicating critical feeding, loafing, and roosting areas. In November 1990 these maps were sent to the DNR and the Highway 12 Study Commission. This resulted in the avoiding of eagle habitat in the highway improvement project, which was then in the planning stage. The interns also did a survey of persons using Ferry Bluff and learned that most of them had no objection to the area being closed part of the year to protect eagle habitat.In November 1990 the following mission statement was adopted: “The mission of the FBEC is to protect, maintain and enhance bald eagle habitat in the Sauk Prairie area through education, research and management activities.” Four committees were established: research; education/public relations; land management; fund raising/membership.

            FBEC began assisting the Bureau of Endangered Resources (B.E.R.) in staging Eagle Days in January 1990. Until 1994 the program was held at the Community Center, and FBEC hosted a banquet on Saturday evening with various speakers and slide shows relating to eagles. In 1994 the program moved to the Grand Avenue School and the following year the banquets were discontinued. In 1991 local business people joined the planning committee. It is now jointly sponsored by FBEC, the Chamber of Commerce, and the B.E.R. In January 1996 Eagle Days and FBEC received national coverage on the CBS Sunday evening news.

            In January 1992 FBEC presented the Sauk Prairie School District with “All About Eagles,” a kit of instructional materials prepared by the education committee at a cost of $500. In 1991 and 92 several high school students who had been recommended by their science teacher were trained as attendants at the Lookout. The winter of 1992-3 saw the installation of a permanent telescope at the Lookout at a cost of $2657, much of which was donated by community businesses. In 1994, with the aid of the UW statistics department, a survey showed that eagle viewers bring more than $750,000 tourist dollars into the community each year.

            By the winter of 1991-92 we were counting eagles at six roosts, and three more had been discovered. FBEC statistics were being used in an independent environmental impact study being conducted for the relicensing of the dam. In the summer of 1993 the DNR reported six active eagle nests on the Lower Wisconsin Riverway.

            Eagle Days was extended to two Saturdays in 1993 in an effort to spread out the crowd somewhat. The following year the celebration returned to a single weekend. Marge Gibson of the Raptor Education Group, Antigo, was the speaker at the FBEC dinner in 1993. Nick Hockings, an Ojibwe Indian living in Madison, entertained us at the dinner in 1992 and also at the final one in 1994.
            In the summer of 1994, after six months of study, a new mission statement was adopted. It reads as follows:

            In 1994 several members produced a 16-page booklet “Local Habitat Needs of Sauk Prairie Eagles,” which contained a colored map and several graphs. Members of the habitat committee used this as they worked closely with long-range planning boards in both villages. As a result the preservation of critical eagle habitat was included when both of the long range plans were adopted. Copies were sent to governing bodies responsible for areas which we know to be used by eagles. In 1995 the Highway 12 Bridge committee asked for input from FBEC in regard to its effects on eagles, a threatened species.

            Land directly in front of the Blackhawk roost came up for sale in 1994. FBEC worked with the owners, the town of Westport, the Lower Wisconsin Riverway (LWR), and the Nature Conservancy (TNC), resulting in the owners continuing to farm the land but selling development rights to the LWR and TNC. Later the DNR bought the TNC part of the easement.

            In  1995 Eagle Days was held for three weekends, which brought larger attendance on both the second and third weekends. In 1996 the usual events were scheduled on one weekend, bus tours only the following two Saturdays. This format was also followed in 1997. Marge Gibson released a rehabilitated eagle at the VFW on January 6, 1996. CBS covered the whole 1996 event, which was presented later in a ten-minute segment on the Sunday evening news.

            Because of the high demand in the schools, three more “All About Eagles” kits were produced. Two were placed in schools and the third is available for loan from FBEC. Members are monitoring a successful eagle nest visible from highway 60 near highway C, probably the first such nest in Sauk County for 40 years.

            In 1996 another member produced a training manual, “Eagles of the Sauk Prairie.” Chapters include an introduction to Bald Eagles, life history, threats, conservation, and the eagles of the Sauk Prairie. Copies are included in the educational kits.

            In 1997 FBEC for the first time assumed responsibility for purchasing and enforcing an easement on property that is prime eagle habitat. When 40 acres directly across from the Overlook became available for development, FBEC sprang into action. The area included parcels along the river and also on Round Top, a bluff adjacent to a major roosting area, as well as 25 acres prime for residential development. FBEC worked with the town boards of West Point and Roxbury and Dane County to secure rezoning that was a win-win solution for all involved parties. In October 1997, after 8 months of negotiations, Ferry Bluff purchased easement rights providing for low-density housing and for eagle habitat management rights. A short but energetic fund drive raised $17,000 from local businesses and another $5500 was contributed by members toward the total cost of $30,000. After further negotiations with the Department of Natural Resources, the State of Wisconsin purchased the riverfront and bluff property parcels. With FBEC support, Dane County approved the rezoning of these parcels according to the easement restrictions for eagle habitat. Gov. Tommy Thompson signed the papers at a ceremony at the Overlook in March 1998. Business owners who had helped make the original easement possible were honored at this time.

           In the early years of FBEC a slide show was prepared and talks given to various organizations in the community. Outside groups, including school groups, came in to have the slide show and a member as guide on a bus tour. Between 250 and 300 people have been reached each year with this information.

            A “Birds of Prey” show has been a popular part of Eagle Days from the early years. Since 2000 Marge Gibson and her staff at REGI have presented the Birds of Prey show. They have also released one or more eagles each year attracting larger crowds. The B.E.R. has efficiently handled crowd control. Having a Native American present to bless the eagle has become a part of the ritual on several occasions.

            The summer of 1999 found a long range planning committee meeting to take stock of where we were after about ten years of existence. Specific goals decided upon for the near future were: (1)restructing the organization, (2)saving critical habitat between the dam and highway 12 bridge, and (3) increasing membership. New bylaws were adopted in January 2000 allowing for two general membership meetings per year, with the officers, board of directors and committee chairs meeting monthly. The general meetings are planned to encourage the public to attend and have helped recruit members. A new logo was designed and adopted.

            The Eagle Eye newsletter of Spring 2000 headlined a bumper year of eagle numbers, second highest roost count ever. The highest, 203 in 1998-99, probably included many migrating birds because of an early and sudden freeze in the North. Other numbers ranged from a low of 52 to 178 in 1999-2000. In December 2000 we began publishing roost counts weekly in the local papers. New that year also were press packets presented to any media persons who inquired about or came for Eagle Days. The first of annual pancake breakfasts at the Roxbury Tavern was held, profits split between SP River P.A.L. The FBEC share of $300 was earmarked for permanent displays at the kiosk. In the summer of 2001 FBEC joined the Adopt-A-Highway program, assuming responsibility for clean-up of highway Y near the Mazomanie boat landing, a popular eagle-viewing spot.
           In the winter of 2000-2001 two eagles rehabilitated at REGI were radio-tracked to see how well they could survive in the wild. They did extremely well. In the 2001-2002 and 2002-2003 seasons, several wild-trapped as well as rehabilitated eagles were followed. In the 4th year of the program all the radio-collared eagles were tracked. Kristin Hall, a graduate student in wildlife ecology assisted in the supervision of this project and coordinated the dozens of trackers and thousands of hours that made this project possible. Volunteers included Windway Corporation which provided weekly searches by plane. The study provided valuable information about how the eagles use the area and where habitat protection is necessary. Several new roosts were discovered and were subsequently included in the bi-monthly roost counts. Financing of the tracking project was provided with contributions from local businesses and corporations as well as individual donations. The highest ever roost count was 383 in January 2004.

            Evidence of nesting eagles on the Lower Wisconsin River has been mounting with each year. In the summer of 2003 two FBEC members discovered a new nest about eight miles below the dam, probably the first in 50 years. The pair successfully fledged two young, in spite of a storm having blown the nest down in early July. The adults evidently intend to return; they began constructing a new nest in the fall.

            Countless people made this organization grow in its first 16 years. It’s just not practical to try to name them all. I shall, however, list the presidents and their years of service:

Joan Quenan                03/2007
Kay Roherty                10/2003-03/2007
Otto Cordero               10/2001-10/2003
Juliana Clausen             10/1999-10/2001
John Keefe                   10/1995-10/1999
Juliana Clausen             10/1993-10/1995
Barb Barzen                 10/1991-10/1993
Rich Van                      10/1990-10/1991
Dave Ericksen              8/1988-10/1990