Dear Editor,
This morning it came to my attention that two locally adored Bald Eagles, nicknamed “Jim” and “Pam” by the community, will soon lose their home to developers. I volunteer Sunday mornings at the Auburn University Raptor Center, so seeing these birds threatened in my own town was disappointing, and honestly angering. The residential construction company Hughston Homes, headquartered in Columbus, bought the land near Auburn’s E. W. Shell Fisheries Center without knowing that there was an active Bald Eagle nest on the property, proving to me that they didn’t do their due diligence from the start. A representative from the company told me that they have received tons of calls about Hughston’s plans to destroy the nest, and our online petition is gaining traction with over 5,860 signatures. It is clear that the Auburn community values the livelihood of these beautiful birds over more development in our area.
This is just one of many examples of Hughston not doing their due diligence in this process. According to Auburn City Council members I spoke with today, the company has been lax in response and the council remains frustrated with the situation. Council members also spoke with me about how Hughston had struggled with communication throughout the entire process of them buying and proposing plans to develop the property.
After speaking with our local council members, I called Congressman Mike Rogers’ office in Washington as well as the one in Opelika asking him to issue a statement disapproving of the actions of Hughston Homes, but the most helpful person I called was from the United States Fish and Wildlife department. After leaving a message I received a call back from an agent who explained that there are certain laws and regulations that dictate who qualifies for what type of permit. There are a few different types, but the most important one in our case is the one pertaining to the removal of nests. The regulations state that you can’t move the nest if there is Eagle activity present, and it was the type of permit issued to Hughston on Oct. 30 and goes through the end of November. The Eagles were seen in the nest this morning [Nov. 15]. A local managed to video the birds who have made the area their home. The USFWS agent also revealed that Hughston Homes paid $35,000 to Alabama’s Department of Nature Resources to offset the damage done by removing the nest and cutting down the tree. In my opinion, this should not be possible, and nests should be left undisturbed.
Auburn University has adopted the cheer “War Eagle!” since 1892 and has flown our eagles through the football stadium since 2000. Now in 2024, after we have proudly displayed these beautiful birds as a symbol of our university for over 131 years, they need our help. As Auburn Men and Auburn Women, please look for the petition online and call your local and state representatives in support of saving our eagles.
Thank you,
Alec Sabatino
Auburn
