Kelly Davis Indep('udE'nt-MaiI

Tim Lee of the South Carolina Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism scans the Lake Jocassee shoreline for eagles
during the annual mid-January nationwide eagle survey.

a eag attr crowd

By Kelly Davis Mr Murphy is coordina- preter at Table Rock State "Eagles have been spotted
Inctepen\ient·MmI tor of South Carolina's con- Park. and navigator Al every monU1 of the year on
Tim Lee got up at 5:30 a.m. tribution to the U.S . Addington, r esident inter- Lake Jocassee," Mr. Lee
Thursday, drove an hour Geological Survey's Mid- preter at OevU's Fork. aid.
from Caesar's Head to Winter Eagle Count, which Bald eagles stay near Al though there is no
Devil's Fork State Park. occurs every January. water because their main definitive proof of nesting
lim bed on a pon toan boat in The scenery wasn' t too diet is fish and waterfowl, he and breeding, that fact
22 degree weather and bad, either. The morning said. They are more likely to makes him believe there are
craned his neck at the lake's sun washed the imposing be found along the shore- resident bald eagles.
entire shoreline for the next pine, hemlock and hard- lines of coves, where they The U.S. Geological
five hours. wood-covered hills around feel more protected. Survey count is conducted
It was worth it to see four the lake a brilliant pink, The route started at the by more than 100 people in
bald eagles, sightings the contrasting with a perfectly main dock and wound South Carolina, from volun-
state Department of Parks, blue sky: The only otller peo- around the jagged contours teers to staff from state and
Recreation and Tourism ple on the lake were die-hard of the lake and some of the federal agencies. They cover
interpreter duly noted and fishermen. larger branches: Devil's 1,872 miles of routes, Mr.
forwarded to Department of Joining Mr. Lee, the offi- Fork, Whitewater, Murphy said. In 2002, they
Natur al Resources biologist cial recorder, was observer Thompson, Horsepasture,
Tom Murphy: Scott Stegenga, an inter- Toxaway: Please see Eagles, Page 2B