Farmer cuts down eagle's nest, says 'there's other trees'

Gerald MacDougall, director of fish and wildlife for P.E.I., said the province would have paid the retired farmer not to cut the tree down. He said the loss of the nest is devastating because there are only about 25 bald eagle nests on the Island.

"I just can't tell you how disappointed I was," MacDougall said. "In fact, if the gentleman wasn't interested in the eagles, there could have been other ways we could have probably rewarded him for leaving the tree. I'm sure we could have raised some funds. We could have paid him to leave the tree standing, just so he didn't have to cut it down if it was a monetary issue."

Retired Meadow Bank farmer William Lank said he was aware that an old white pine tree on his land was home to a pair of nesting bald eagles, but the tree blocked access to a nearby woodlot and he wanted it down.

Lank said the bald eagles can go elsewhere and wildlife enthusiasts should not be in flap about the tree.

"Well, look, they're very disappointed they're harvesting seals. They're very disappointed they're cutting trees, but there's other trees on the Island the eagle can sit in. And he really has nothing to do until he's ready to lay an egg, other than build another nest," Lank said.