Buttonwood Drive tree trimming proceeded as planned

On Nov. 14, the day arrived for professional arborists to remove most of the tree that towered over a resident’s property, but also was home to a bald eagle nest. 

According to previous reporting from the Longboat Observer, some residents said the eagles had been a common sight on Buttonwood Drive for about 20 years. 

The tree that housed the eagle nest was rooted in one property on Buttonwood Drive, but it leaned over a neighboring property on Triton Bend. 

After Hurricanes Helene and Milton, the Triton Bend property owner was concerned about the tree falling on his house and causing damage. A professional arborist, Jacob Gilliam Tree Care, agreed the tree was more vulnerable after the hurricanes and presented a risk to the property. 

The Triton Bend owner received proper permitting through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife (USFWS) to disturb the nest. 

The Observer reached out to the property owner before the last article on Nov. 14 and again before print deadline this week, but he preferred not to comment. 

Bald eagle breeding season runs from Oct. 1 to May 30, but the egg-laying period typically starts around December and January. Since December was coming soon, Gilliam said the USFWS advised the nest be removed sooner rather than later. 

According to Ulgonda Kirkpatrick with the USFWS Migratory Bird & Eagle Permit Office, bald eagles are territorial animals and typically remain within their territory — about 1.5-2 miles — when a nest is removed. 

At a town commission meeting on Nov. 12, the issue was raised by Commissioner-At-Large BJ Bishop and Mayor Ken Schneier. Although there is nothing the town can do about the matter, Schneier and Bishop still had lingering questions. 

“I understand that this is not in our jurisdiction, but we do have an interest,” Schneier said at the Nov. 12 meeting. 

Town Attorney Maggie Mooney emphasized that state law says the town has no authority in a situation like this. Protected species are regulated by state and federal agencies, and the homeowner received the proper permit to authorize the trimming. 

This is a private property matter, Mooney said, and should be dealt as such.