Bald eagle breeds in Flevoland
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JANNIE FROM FLEVOLAND
FIRST BALD EAGLE BORN
In the Lepelaarplassen near Almere, a young bald eagle was born for the first time in 2019. The youngster was given the name Jannie WN13. Her wanderings can still be followed via a transmitter. Jannie is the first bald eagle born in an area of Het Flevo-landschap. The youngster was named after forester Jan Horstra, who assisted in ringing it.
Symbols of - a vital polder nature
The otter and bald eagle
Together with the otter, the sea eagle symbolises a healthy and vital polder nature where vanished species regain their rightful place. For nature management organisations like Het Flevo-landschap, the return of these iconic animals is the icing on the cake.
First breeding pair
The sea eagle had long disappeared from the Netherlands but has re-established itself in the Netherlands this century under its own steam. First as a winter visitor, but since 2006 also as a breeding bird. The first breeding pair chose the Oostvaardersplassen as a place to breed, near the Lepelaarplassen. This was a sign that nature development in the areas belonging to Nieuw Land National Park is going well.
So the number of bald eagles in our country is slowly increasing, but each breeding pair remains exciting. Although sea eagles are large and imposing, they remain shy animals that leave at the slightest disturbance. Their nests are impressive structures made of thick branches and measure about 1.5 by 1.5 metres. The nest easily weighs 100 kilos and sits high in a tree. The nest in which Jannie hatched was estimated to sit ten metres above the ground.
Adult sea eagle - from one year old
Beak is still black
Jannie is now, after a year, almost the size of an adult bald eagle. But she still looks like a young bird. She is black-brown in colour, especially on her wings, head and tail, and on her back she has light and dark brown spots. Her bill is still black now, but it will slowly colour to dark grey, greyish yellow, light yellow and finally bright yellow within three years. Her iris is still black for the next three years and only then turns light to golden brown. Her adult plumage will not appear until she is about four years old, and the distinctive light head will take longer. It will only develop between the ages of eight and ten.
Channel
To understand more about the lifestyles of young white-tailed eagles (and, for example, their reaction to wind turbines, recreational areas and urban areas), Jannie was ringed and tagged by the Werkgroep Zeearend Nederland (WZN) in mid-May 2019. After all, there may be more and more white-tailed eagles in the Netherlands, but we still know surprisingly little about their lifestyles. The transmitters should increase that knowledge in the coming years. A total of four new Dutch white-tailed eagles were tagged in 2019, so you can also follow Jannie's wanderings and adventures via the working group' s portal (Individual Lepelaarplassen 2019).
Nieuw Land National Park - Above the Lepelaarplassen
Where can you see Jannie?
Jannie is regularly spotted in Nationaal Park Nieuw Land. Sometimes she flies around over the Lepelaarplassen, other times over the marsh and the southern part of the Oostvaardersplassen. Sea eagles can regularly be seen from viewing hut the Lepelaar in the Lepelaarplassen. From the dike between Almere and Lelystad, you also have a good chance of seeing sea eagles flying overhead.
The Lepelaar lakes
Nature reserve Lepelaarplassen is managed by Het Flevo-landschap and part of National Park Nieuw Land. Lepelaarplassen is rich in birds and has Natura 2000 status (protected nature reserves of European importance). The area is among the most beautiful spots in Flevoland. Over three hundred species of birds have been observed here.
The area includes a wet willow forest, many watercourses and ponds, a central pond and extensive wet grasslands. The forest contains many suitable nesting trees for forest birds, while the wet grasslands are a breeding ground for marsh birds, meadow birds and special ducks. The ponds and the seepage zone along the Oostvaardersdijk are hunting grounds for spoonbills and herons. Furthermore, the area is a wintering place for thousands of geese. In short: a perfect habitat for white-tailed eagles.