Humans have had a unique relationship with raptors, nature’s aerial killing machines, for more than four thousand years, first through the ancient sport of falconry, and, more recently, as scientists and engineers have turned to these mighty birds — from golden eagles, red-tailed hawks, and turkey vultures, to great gray owls and the peregrine falcon — as the inspiration for the latest in aircraft design. Using the tricks and tactics of raptors as their model, engineers have devised fighter jets with unprecedented maneuverability and stealth.

In Raptor Force, you’ll learn the secrets of these astonishing aerialists, and how they’ve mastered, more than any other type of bird, the art of soaring. And with the help of engineer and falconer Rob MacIntyre’s ingenious miniature television station — a camera, transmitter, and battery small enough to be harnessed onto the backs of raptors — you’ll see for yourself what it’s like to fly with these deadly aces.

Online content for Raptor Force was originally posted February 2007.

To order a copy of Raptor Force, please visit the NATURE Shop.

LESSON TITLE: Springs of Life

GRADE LEVEL: 5-8

TOPIC/SUBJECT MATTER: Life Science

TIME ALLOTMENT: Three to four 45-minute class periods

OVERVIEW:

In this video-enhanced lesson, students will explore Florida’s springs using video segments from the NATURE film “Springs Eternal: Florida’s Fountain of Youth” and related activities and discussions. Students will learn about how the springs are formed and will explore the Florida springs ecosystem, with particular focus on the manatees, fish, birds and alligators that live there. Students will also learn about red tide and its threat to the life in the springs. At the end of the lesson, students will conduct research and give a presentation about one species that lives in and/or around the springs.

MEDIA RESOURCES:

Video Clips

NATURE: “Springs Eternal: Florida’s Fountain of Youth

1. “Florida’s Springs”

2. “Life in Florida’s Springs”

3. “Red Tide”

4. “Life in the water supply”

Access the streaming and downloadable video segments for this lesson at the Video Segments Page.

Web Sites

Resources about Florida’s springs and the species living in and around them:

• Florida’s Springs: Protecting Nature’s Gems

This Web site contains information, photographs and educational resources about Florida’s springs. The following section is used in this lesson:

• Life in a Spring

This section includes information and photographs about the different plants and animals living in and around Florida’s springs.

• Web World Wonders/ Ecosystems: List of Organisms in the River and Springs Ecosystem

This site provides detailed information and photographs of species living in and around Florida’s rivers and springs.

• U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service: Species

This site contains “Wildlife Fact Sheets,” which include information about a variety of species, including the American Alligator and the West Indian Manatee who live in the springs.

• University of Delaware College of Marine and Earth Studies

This site contains information about eelgrass, as well as information and bird sounds of species including the Great Blue Heron and Osprey, which could be helpful for student research during this lesson.

Standards:

National Science Education Standards, Grades 5-8

LIFE SCIENCE: Content Standard C

As a result of their activities in grades 5-8, all students should develop understanding of

• Populations and Ecosystems

• A population consists of all individuals of a species that occur together at a given place and time. All populations living together and the physical factors with which they interact compose an ecosystem.
• Populations of organisms can be categorized by the function they serve in an ecosystem. Plants and some microorganisms are producers-they make their own food. All animals, including humans, are consumers, which obtain food by eating other organisms. Decomposers, primarily bacteria and fungi, are consumers that use waste materials and dead organisms for food. Food webs identify the relationships among producers, consumers, and decomposers in an ecosystem.
• For ecosystems, the major source of energy is sunlight. Energy entering ecosystems as sunlight is transferred by producers into chemical energy through photosynthesis. That energy then passes from organism to organism in food webs.

SCIENCE IN PERSONAL AND SOCIAL PERSPECTIVES: Content Standard F

As a result of activities in grades 5-8, all students should develop understanding of

· Natural Hazards

o       Human activities also can induce hazards through resource acquisition, urban growth, land-use decisions, and waste disposal. Such activities can accelerate many natural changes.

· Risks and Benefits

o       Students should understand the risks associated with natural hazards (fires, floods, tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions), with chemical hazards (pollutants in air, water, soil, and food), with biological hazards (pollen, viruses, bacterial, and parasites), social hazards (occupational safety and transportation), and with personal hazards (smoking, dieting, and drinking).

MATERIALS:

For each student:

• “Life in Florida’s Springs Fact Sheet” (RTF) (PDF)

For each group of 3-5 students:

• 1 copy of the “Life in Florida’s Springs: Producer/Consumer Game.”(RTF) (PDF)
  (See the “Prep for Teachers” section for details.)

For the class:

• Producer/Consumer Pyramid (PDF)

• Books, reference materials and/or Internet access to conduct research about life in Florida’s springs.
• A large sheet of paper or board and something with which to write.
• One computer for the teacher with a digital projection system (to play video clips either downloaded or streaming from the Web).

OBJECTIVES:

Students will be able to:

• Explain what springs are and how they are formed;
• Describe at least 3 different species living in the Florida springs ecosystem, naming why they live in the springs, what they eat and how they get their food;
• Explain why the Florida springs ecosystem is an inverted food pyramid;
• Define “producer” and “consumer”;
• Accurately sort organisms into producers and primary, secondary and tertiary consumers;
• Name types of organisms that function as decomposers and explain the role that decomposers play in the ecosystem;
• Describe how organisms can survive in watery, underground caves without sunlight;
• Define “red tide,” how it is caused, and what danger it poses to manatees;
• Describe one species from the Florida springs ecosystem in detail, including what it eats, factors that pose a danger to its survival, and where it lives during different times of the year.

PREP FOR TEACHERS:

Prior to teaching this lesson, you will need to:

Preview all of the video segments and Web sites used in the lesson.

Download the video clips used in the lesson to your classroom computer, or prepare to watch them using your classroom’s Internet connection.

Bookmark the Web sites used in the lesson on each computer in your classroom. Using a social bookmarking tool such as del.icio.us or diigo (or an online bookmarking utility such as portaportal) will allow you to organize all the links in a central location.

Make one copy of the “Life in Florida’s Springs Fact Sheet” for each student.

Make 1 copy of the “Life in Florida’s Springs: Producer/ Consumer Game” for each group of 3-5 students, including the cards and the chart. Cut up the cards for each group, making sure that each group gets a complete set of 15 Cards. (Each card should feature the name of one species.) Each group should also have one Producer/ Consumer Game Chart (not cut up).

Load the “Producer/Consumer Pyramid” onto a screen that can be seen by the class, or recreate it on a classroom board.

Proceed to ACTIVITIES.

These brief video segments can be used alone or in combination, to introduce a topic or to spark discussion among your students. The video segments can be adapted for any grade level. Stream the video segments from the playlist below, or scroll to the bottom of the page to find downloadable QuickTime versions of the videos. These videos are also used in the lesson plan Springs of Life (grades 5-8).

Excerpts from the NATURE episode, “Springs Eternal: Florida’s Fountain of Youth”

Downloadable QuickTime versions of the video segments:
(Note: To download a video, right click on the video title and click “Save Link As…’ or “Save Target As…”. On a Mac, press the CTRL key and simultaneously click the mouse, then save the link.)

Video Clips

1. Florida’s Springs:

An introduction to Florida’s springs and how they are formed.

2. Life in Florida’s Springs:

A close up look at life in the warm Florida springs and the various predators supported by the abundant life.

3. Red Tide:

An introduction to red tide and the danger it poses.

4. Life in the Water Supply:

A close look at life in a town’s water supply and it’s energy source.

The Isle of Mull is the fourth largest Scottish island, and its 300-mile coastline supports a wide range of species.  Although animals such as otters, seals and dolphins are often seen there, the island is most famous for its eagles.  The golden eagle, one of the most familiar birds of the region, presents a magnificent display of colorful plumage and powerful features.  And another inhabitant is getting lots of attention — the white-tailed sea eagle, which was once extinct in the area, but has since been re-introduced and has taken up residence on Mull.  It has a striking appearance, an enormous 8-foot wingspan, and impressive hunting tactics.  The sea eagles can eat anything from fish to the occasional lamb, and can be seen soaring through the air with their prey dangling from their sharp talons.  It’s no mystery why their growing presence has become a source of pride for the island.  And for Buchanan, who left Mull before the birds were re-established in the area, the eagles were an exciting addition to his home turf.

As Buchanan says, there is “always something to film” while exploring Mull.  He heads off in all directions, finding otters like those he remembered watching as a child and stumbling upon sights he never dreamed of seeing.  It’s a spectacular setting, combining the changing moods of sea and sky, woodlands and coastline with the quaint and dreamy feel of the place, which now attracts a multitude of tourists but still manages to maintain its unique character.

Watch as Buchanan rediscovers his homeland, surprises himself with new findings, and falls in love all over again with the splendor and magic of Mull.

Eagles of Mull premieres Sunday, May 3 at 8pm on PBS (check local listings).

Photo © Iain Erskine c/o Carolyn Naylor

The residents of Mull are serious about protecting their wildlife, especially their white-tailed sea eagles. No one believed they would ever again see a lolair mara (Gaelic for eagle of the sea) return to Scotland after the species was driven to extinction there in the early 20th century by shepherds, gamekeepers, fisheries, and illegal egg collectors. Sea eagle populations in many of the western European countries were also affected by similar persecution, until few were left anywhere. Even a Scandinavian population, which had previously been considered healthy and safe, was faced with a dangerous decline compounded by the then widespread use of DDT in agriculture and industry. It was from this low point that a remarkable conservation success story began.

Attempts to reintroduce the white-tailed sea eagle in the 1950s and 60s were unsuccessful, but the stage was set for a reintroduction program begun in 1975 that began to make a difference. Over the next 10 years, 82 young birds were brought from Norway and released on the Isle of Rum in Scotland. Ten years after that, in 1985, a breeding pair on Mull raised the first sea eagle chick born in Scotland in 70 years. Today, Mull and the neighboring island of Skye have become the birds’ strongholds along the country’s west coast, sheltering almost two-thirds of the Scottish sea eagle population of 45 breeding pairs and over 200 wild-fledged chicks. Sea eagles have become one of Mull’s greatest assets, bringing in thousands of tourists every year, specifically to see them. The species has traveled a long way from persecuted to prized, but the population of birds is still relatively small and highly vulnerable.

Since the first breeding success in 1985, Mull Eagle Watch, in partnership with Forestry Commission Scotland, Mull and Iona Community Trust, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) Scotland, Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH), Strathclyde Police and a wealth of dedicated volunteers, has been vitally important in protecting the eagles from harm. These days, that protection includes round-the-clock on-site and CCTV monitoring of nest sites each March and April to ensure the security of incubating eggs and hatchlings. CCTV footage collected can also be used in court against anyone found endangering the birds and their nests in any way.

Tagging a sea eagle chick

However, Mull has also done its best to allow access to fans who want to see the protected sea eagles. Wildlife enthusiasts of all kinds, under the guidance of knowledgeable wildlife rangers, can safely observe sea eagles from a state-of-the-art hide in Loch Frisa, the only one of its kind in all of Britain. The hide features a glass front for viewing, information panels, and two television screens showing live footage of the birds from cameras placed close to the nearby nest. It’s an arrangement that manages to leave the birds and their nests undisturbed while also providing a uniquely intimate experience for the viewers.

All nest sites on the island are closely guarded. The island has a full-time wildlife liaison officer, PC Finlay Christine, and an RSPB Scotland warden, Dave Sexton. Together, they monitor all the nests and keep a close eye on all cars and ferries coming to and from the island, watching especially for egg thieves. It’s up to them to locally enforce the strict laws put in place throughout the UK to protect wild birds, laws that have recently been amended to include tougher regulations, sizeable fines and jail time. And Constable Christine and Officer Sexton have the eyes of every local on the island to help them.

Over the years, the officers have come to feel quite close to the birds in their care. Officer Sexton even posts a regular blog about the eagles at Loch Frisa, talking about what is going on in their lives and about their comings and goings. Much to everyone’s delight, he is currently assisted by information from newly-fitted satellite tags. These tags, kept running on tiny solar batteries, have been placed on two chicks from Loch Frisa and will monitor their travels for the next three to four years. The information gathered will be used to inform all future UK sea eagle reintroduction plans. In the meanwhile, satellite maps of their day-to-day movements are available to enthusiasts everywhere on the RSPB Mull Eagle Watch website.

Photos © Iain Erskine c/o Carolyn Naylor

Thank you for all of the comments so far -– I’m touched to see how the film has affected people so deeply. We’re happy that our story of the bald eagle was able to reach such a wide audience. Neil dreamt for years about making a bald eagle film, so the broadcast of this show (and your positive comments) mean the world to him.

I’ve enjoyed reading your observations and look forward to corresponding with those who felt moved to write a comment on this website. I wanted to answer some of the posted questions and to add feedback on some of the postings to date:

• To answer Ryan’s question, the fish hatchery nest is situated in Decorah, IA. The eagles live on private property though, so no intruding! :-> On a side note, the one-eyed female once caught two trout with one foot. She was a very impressive hunter when she needed to be.
• Our production team was very moved by Path’s poem. The section of the film involving the death of the one-eyed female and egg was (by far) one of the toughest scenes I’ve ever been a part of editing. My wife was pregnant at the time Neil Rettig reported the deaths to us, so I felt the loss on a deeper level than expected. I was happy though that the male was able to rebuild his family during the next season and that we were able to capture his story for our film.
• On the other American Eagle comments page, there have been some posts questioning the validity of the impact of DDT on bald eagle eggs. This allows us to delve into the issue a bit further. Be assured, our team thoroughly vetted all of our sources. We were keenly aware of the dissenting opinions regarding the effects of DDT on bald eagles, so we were especially careful and thorough with research on this point. We reviewed a variety of reports published by well-respected journals and took into consideration not only the information in the reports, but also the sources they cited. When considering the evidence appearing to indicate that DDT had little effect on bald eagles or their eggs, the quality of the information or sources did not meet with our strict standards; therefore, we feel confident that our film’s comments about DDT are accurate.
• I enjoyed looking at Darlene’s photography — especially photos #16 & 19. (The bald Eagle’s wingspan is ridiculously large, and those photos show it off quite well.) Thank you for posting the link to your website. There is nothing like being up close to a bald eagle (although they are not half as scary in person as the harpy eagle — Neil is the caretaker of one on loan from the Peregrine Fund).
• To re-chime the bell (as rung by Tom), Neil is the best raptor cinematographer I’ve ever worked with. He spent almost two years filming this program and his meticulous attention to detail and his tireless work ethic comes across in the final product. The quality of the footage is extraordinary, considering too that bald eagles are shy by nature and do not like getting close to video cameras. Canon deserves a special shout-out for loaning us a 40X Zoom lens with a built-in stabilizer every once in a while. If you’re interested in picking one up, here’s the link: http://www.canon.com/bctv/products/hj40×14b.html
• For Sharon V (and to the other bird rehabilitators who wrote in), good luck with your continued success in raptor rehabilitation. Neil and I worked on a separate program titled Raptor Force, which aired last year on NATURE. I’d recommend watching it if you get the chance. It’s definitely a different film than American Eagle in a number of ways but also goes into great detail on raptor flight and hunting techniques.
• As Deb mentions, there are a ton of webcams that follow nesting pairs of raptors. Bob Anderson maintains a number of such webcams — here is his website: http://raptorresource.org/falcon_cams/index.html

Thank you again for all of your comments. I look forward to checking in every once in a while to answer any questions you may have about our film. And if you feel like a change of pace, please watch our next film on NATURE, Sunday January 25th at 8pm. It’s all about skunks!

Sincerely,

James Donald, Producer

This program premiered November 16, 2008.

Four years before the bald eagle was listed as an endangered species in 1967 there were less than 500 breeding pairs in the lower forty-eight.

Click around the following maps to find out how many bald eagle breeding pairs there were in each of the lower forty-eight states from 1990 to 2000.