The eagle has landed

Several popular Priest Lake campsites have been closed to protect bald eagles.

Campsites 30 through 34 of the Three Pines Campground located on Kalispell Island within the Priest Lake Ranger District were closed Tuesday in preparation for the Fourth of July, and will remain closed through the rest of the month.

Rangers said an eagle’s nest found on top of one of the large standing pines at the camping area prompted the closure.

“The nest was recently discovered during a bald eagle survey,” District Ranger Felipe Cano said.

Eagles have used the island in years past to build nests, but this is the first time an active nest site has been found in four years, Cano said.

Kalispell Island near the lake’s southwest shore has 10 camping areas and almost 50 campsites that are only accessible by boat. The Three Pines Campground is on the island’s southeastern side. Many of the campgrounds, including Three Pines, are known for their solitude and sand beaches.

As part of a Priest Lake land management plan and a national eagle management plan, rangers are required to restrict human activity near active bald eagle nest sites, according to the Forest Service.

During the breeding season, bald eagles are sensitive to human activity, and too much prolonged activity near a nest can cause adults to abandon the nest. Long absences of adults from nests can jeopardize young birds, leaving them vulnerable to predation.

Young nestlings are particularly vulnerable because they rely on their parents to provide warmth or shade, and they may die as a result of hypothermia or heat stress if parents stay away from the nest, according to a Forest Service press release. If feeding is interrupted, young birds may not develop healthy plumage, which can adversely affect their survival.

Cano said once the young birds fledge and begin to fly, likely in August, the campsite will reopen.

“We ask the public to please be understanding and patient with this closure,” he said.

Kalispell Island’s remaining campsites not affected by the closure are available on a first-come first-service basis. A group site can be reserved online at www.recreation.gov, or by calling 208-443-2512.