NWN Ruritans learn about bald eagles
The Northwestern Ruritan Club met July 10 for the monthly club dinner/meeting at The Barn restaurant. President Kim Wellert welcomed members, wives and guest John Lorson. The group joined in singing "America," and the invocation was given by Jim Johnson.
Lorson, program administrator for the Wayne County Soil and Water Conservation District, gave a slide program on the bald eagle. Bald eagles are only found in North America, were almost extinct with only four known pairs in 1979 in Ohio, and have come back with 707 nests known in 2022 in Ohio and seven in Wayne County.
Lorson rides his bicycle all over the area and is very familiar with many of the nests. The reason for losing many was DDT and lead poisoning in the 1950s and '60s, but some of the credit with their rebound is the 1970 Clean Water Act.
Bald eagles are huge birds — they may have a 7-foot wingspan with over 2-inch talons — and they do not migrate. Most of their food is from rivers and streams, generally within a 2-mile radius, and they will steal fish and food from other birds. They use the same nest, which may be 6 feet wide and 4 feet high, and males and females remain as a pair. Females lay three eggs and begin incubating right away. Chicks hatch at different times, and the last one may be pushed out of the nest. The average age is 25 years, and the oldest known bald eagle lived to 38 years in a zoo.
Chuck Beck’s treasurer’s report was approved subject to audit. A thank-you note was received from Tom Reed for his Husky Brigade package and from the NW Elementary School students for the donation to the Reading Lights program. Over 665 people attended. The donation helped 333 students shop for five books to take home.
Jamie Bowman expressed his appreciation for members’ help with the Parade of Flags project. The flags were recently taken in temporarily. There was storm damage to some of the flags, which will be replaced. Flags will be put back out for Patriot Day on Sept. 11.
Beck appreciated the help with the Route 301 spring roadside trash pickup on June 17. The next trash pickup is planned for Aug. 19. The following have signed up to assist people at the recycling bins at the Congress Township House from 9 a.m. to noon: Mike Becker on July 1, John Ertl on July 15 and Dick Wiley on Aug. 5.
Wiley appreciates help with the West Salem Bike Race on Saturday, July 22, beginning at 8 a.m. He has about 60 riders signed up for the race.
With no more business, following the recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance, the meeting was adjourned. The next dinner/meeting will be Aug. 14 at 6:30 p.m. at Northwestern High School. The program will be by Wiley, the business, professions and finance committee chair. The director’s meeting will be at 6 p.m. in the school library.