The county scrapped the trail plan and Murphy's Island remains a sanctuary. Huge win for the eagles and everyone who demanded this outcome. We will keep watching to ensure they keep their word.
May 8, 2019
Final supporters
Onondaga County has plans to build a trail on a segment of Onondaga Lake called Murphy’s Island which contains the core roosting ground for Bald Eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) on Onondaga Lake. Bald Eagles are listed as a New York State threatened species, and congregate in the large trees near the open waters around Murphy’s Island to feed during the winter season in numbers as high as 39, making it New York State’s largest Bald Eagle winter roost in an urban environment. Additionally, several Bald Eagles have been found to now use Murphy’s Island year-round to rest, feed, and seek shelter.
Last year the County agreed with Onondaga Audubon and the many of you that signed our last petition to place the trail next to the RR tracks, as far as possible from the roosting birds. However, the County recently rescinded this idea and plans instead to place a trail closer to the shore, directly beneath the trees these majestic birds use and on polluted ground. While the County states that the trail will be closed Dec. 15-Mar. 15, human traffic during the other 9 months will adversely affect the eagles’ presence in this area. Eagles can acclimatize to trains and cars, but not to the human form, which they view as a predator. There is ample scientific evidence that concludes that human foot traffic is the most disturbing to Bald Eagles when compared to other sources of human disturbance (Grub and King 1991, Stalmaster and Kaiser 1998, and Hamann 1999).
Since the County refuses to place the trail in a location that is a safe distance from the Bald Eagles and because there are other alternatives to looping the lake that do not go over Murphy’s Island, we advocate that the County instead make Murphy’s Island an Eagle Sanctuary. Murphy’s Island is situated directly next to the City’s planned “Lake Lounge” viewing area at the end of the Creekwalk Trail allowing the County to protect a precious resource while making it accessible for viewing at a distance by the public without the fear of disturbing the birds. Additionally, preserving this area will provide us the opportunity to educate our children about the value of Onondaga Lake as an Audubon Important Bird Area for thousands of wintering waterfowl and year-round Bald Eagles.
Please sign this petition if you have concern for the eagles and support the creation of an Eagle Sanctuary rather than a trail that will disturb our precious birds from the area. Signatures and comments will be presented to the Onondaga County Legislator, Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon, Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh, and the NYSDEC.
Photo: Greg Craybas
Updates
Reached 250 supporters
March 11, 2019
Reached 100 supporters
January 29, 2019
January 26, 2019
We are approaching one hundred signatures. Please send this link to your neighbors right now.
104 Comments
As a former Syracuse resident, I absolutely believe these birds and their nesting area should be protected. A bike trail is not so important that it should disrupt the eagles.
I fully support protecting Murphy's Island as a permanent sanctuary for bald eagles. There is already enough public access to Onondaga Lake that there is no justification for impinging on what little space remains for this recovering, previously endangered, species.
Disturbing the Murphy’s Island roosting area would be completely irresponsible at this point, after seeing how many eagles are utilizing it for their wintering home. If the trees disappear, the eagles won’t be able to roost there in the winter and that would be a shame.
We should be celebrating and protecting these national treasures instead of building another trail. The construction noise and increased human foot traffic will surely push these bald eagles away and the beautiful site of eagles flying around the lake will vanish. DO NOT BUILD THE LOOP THE LAKE TRAIL ON MURPHY'S ISLAND!
This is a no-brainer...the county would profit much more from an Eagle Sanctuary that would draw tourist revenue than a trail that is hazardous to humans and would be to the eagles as well. Legislators, do the right thing and protect these amazing birds of prey.
Please move the trail to accommodate our bald Eagles and detour the trail a safe distance from them
I support making this area a sanctuary for eagles
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The county scrapped the trail plan and Murphy's Island remains a sanctuary. Huge win for the eagles and everyone who demanded this outcome. We will keep watching to ensure they keep their word.
May 8, 2019
Final supporters
Onondaga County has plans to build a trail on a segment of Onondaga Lake called Murphy’s Island which contains the core roosting ground for Bald Eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) on Onondaga Lake. Bald Eagles are listed as a New York State threatened species, and congregate in the large trees near the open waters around Murphy’s Island to feed during the winter season in numbers as high as 39, making it New York State’s largest Bald Eagle winter roost in an urban environment. Additionally, several Bald Eagles have been found to now use Murphy’s Island year-round to rest, feed, and seek shelter.
Last year the County agreed with Onondaga Audubon and the many of you that signed our last petition to place the trail next to the RR tracks, as far as possible from the roosting birds. However, the County recently rescinded this idea and plans instead to place a trail closer to the shore, directly beneath the trees these majestic birds use and on polluted ground. While the County states that the trail will be closed Dec. 15-Mar. 15, human traffic during the other 9 months will adversely affect the eagles’ presence in this area. Eagles can acclimatize to trains and cars, but not to the human form, which they view as a predator. There is ample scientific evidence that concludes that human foot traffic is the most disturbing to Bald Eagles when compared to other sources of human disturbance (Grub and King 1991, Stalmaster and Kaiser 1998, and Hamann 1999).
Since the County refuses to place the trail in a location that is a safe distance from the Bald Eagles and because there are other alternatives to looping the lake that do not go over Murphy’s Island, we advocate that the County instead make Murphy’s Island an Eagle Sanctuary. Murphy’s Island is situated directly next to the City’s planned “Lake Lounge” viewing area at the end of the Creekwalk Trail allowing the County to protect a precious resource while making it accessible for viewing at a distance by the public without the fear of disturbing the birds. Additionally, preserving this area will provide us the opportunity to educate our children about the value of Onondaga Lake as an Audubon Important Bird Area for thousands of wintering waterfowl and year-round Bald Eagles.
Please sign this petition if you have concern for the eagles and support the creation of an Eagle Sanctuary rather than a trail that will disturb our precious birds from the area. Signatures and comments will be presented to the Onondaga County Legislator, Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon, Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh, and the NYSDEC.
Photo: Greg Craybas
Updates
Reached 250 supporters
March 11, 2019
Reached 100 supporters
January 29, 2019
January 26, 2019
We are approaching one hundred signatures. Please send this link to your neighbors right now.
104 Comments
We do not need another place for people to walk in this area. There are many parks in the area to do this. As a member of the Onondaga Audubon I strongly oppose this trail. We need to keep the eagles and other birds of prey secure and safe. This is an needless expense to our County that we do not need or want. Thank you
As a former Syracuse resident, I absolutely believe these birds and their nesting area should be protected. A bike trail is not so important that it should disrupt the eagles.
I fully support protecting Murphy's Island as a permanent sanctuary for bald eagles. There is already enough public access to Onondaga Lake that there is no justification for impinging on what little space remains for this recovering, previously endangered, species.
Disturbing the Murphy’s Island roosting area would be completely irresponsible at this point, after seeing how many eagles are utilizing it for their wintering home. If the trees disappear, the eagles won’t be able to roost there in the winter and that would be a shame.
We should be celebrating and protecting these national treasures instead of building another trail. The construction noise and increased human foot traffic will surely push these bald eagles away and the beautiful site of eagles flying around the lake will vanish. DO NOT BUILD THE LOOP THE LAKE TRAIL ON MURPHY'S ISLAND!
This is a no-brainer...the county would profit much more from an Eagle Sanctuary that would draw tourist revenue than a trail that is hazardous to humans and would be to the eagles as well. Legislators, do the right thing and protect these amazing birds of prey.
Please move the trail to accommodate our bald Eagles and detour the trail a safe distance from them
I support making this area a sanctuary for eagles
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We do not need another place for people to walk in this area. There are many parks in the area to do this. As a member of the Onondaga Audubon I strongly oppose this trail. We need to keep the eagles and other birds of prey secure and safe. This is an needless expense to our County that we do not need or want. Thank you