When COVID-19 shut down campgrounds, a pair of eagles moved closer to the beaten path at Jordan Lake. 'Doc Ellen' has made it her mission to keep them safe from human interference.
OF WHAT EVENTS ARE EXPECTED. VISIT THE MUSEUM'S WEBSITE. SO JOIN LAKE IS NOT ONLY A POPULAR RECREATION SPOT. IT'S HOME TO DOZENS OF BALD EAGLES. OUR NATIONAL BIRD COVID SHUTDOWN CAMPGROUNDS. A PAIR OF EAGLES MOVED IN ABOUT A PICNIC SHELTER. AND FOR MONTHS A RETIRED VETERINARIAN HAS FOUGHT TO CLOSE THE GATE ON THE SHELTER'S ACCESS ROAD. >> AS WRAL'S BRYAN MIMS SHOWS US THE PARK HAS KEPT THE GATE OPEN WHILE DOC ELLEN HAS KEPT DAILY VIGIL. >> RIGHT NOW, I'M HERE PRETTY MUCH EVERY MORNING. >> SHE PURCHASED BY THE WATER APPEARING EGALITE AT THE TREETOPS CAMERA AND ZOOM LENS AT THE READY L INTENSELY DOC ELENA. SHE'S KNOWN STUDIES A LOB LONGLEAF PINE ACROSS THE COVE. IT'S A SHELTER. 8 OF THE EBENEZER CHURCH RECREATION AREA WHERE 2 BALD EAGLES HAVE ROOSTED. JUST ADMIRED THE PHOTOS SHE'S TAKEN. THE NEST LOOMS OVER THE SHELTER ITSELF. IT IS VERY UNUSUAL FOR EAGLES TO BUILD AN ASSET ANYWHERE FAIRLY CLOSE TO WHERE HUMANS ARE ARE CONSTANTLY AND ACTIVITY. >> THE EAGLES ARE YOU. PRETTY SHY BIRDS IN THAT RESPECT THING IS SHE SAYS HUMANS WERE AROUND WHEN THE EAGLES MOVED IN THE PARK HAD CLOSED CAMPSITES AND PICNIC SHELTERS DURING THE WORST OF COVID. >> WHEN THEY REOPENED THE EAGLES STAY PUT. I PROBABLY WROTE TO SUPERINTENDENTS OF POLICE ARE CLOSE AGAIN. SHE WANTED THE GATE SHUT FOR BREEDING SEASON WHICH RUNS FROM WINTER THROUGH JUNE DOC. ELLEN FEARS THE EAGLES AND THEIR BABIES COULD BE SPOOKED BY PEOPLE EQUALS WILL LITERALLY ABANDONED A NEST. IF THEY GET AGITATED ENOUGH INTERFERED WITH ENOUGH. >> THEY WILL ABANDON IT. AND THE BABIES MAY NOT SURVIVE THE GATE DOES REMAIN OPEN BUT CONES AND SIGNS BLOCK OFF MOST OF THE PARKING LOT. DOC ALLEN SAYS THE SIGNS SIMPLY AREN'T ENOUGH CLOSE THE ROAD. INDEED, THERE WERE PEOPLE ACTUALLY HAD THE DOG SOLUTION THAT PARKING LOT ON. A NISSAN ASKED THE STATE DIVISION OF PARKS AND REC SENT ME A WRITTEN STATEMENT SAYING BASED ON ADVICE FROM THE U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE RANGERS HAVE CORDONED OFF A 330 FOOT AREA AROUND THE NEST. WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK WITH FWS TO MONITOR THE NEST AND DETERMINE THE APPROPRIATE TIME TO REOPEN THE SHELTER. I'VE ALWAYS WORKED WITH ANIMALS ALL MY LIFE FOR DOC ELLEN. THIS IS HER DAILY CALLING SERVING AS A KIND OF A MOTHER HEN TO A FAMILY OF OUR REVERED NATIONAL BIRD. SHE'LL BE HERE. LAKE CAN LOB ALWAYS IN VIEW. EAGLE LIED. BRYAN MIMS, WRAL NEWS, JORDAN LAKE. >> WIDE INDEED. THE PARK DOES PLAN TO OPEN THE PICNIC SHELTER TO THE PUBLIC BY THE END OF THIS MONTH. DOCTOR ELLEN TOLD US THIS AFTERNOON SHE WORRIES THE NES MAY HAVE ALREADY BEEN ABANDONED, BUT WON'T KNOW FOR
