Brownie Wise Park, on the east side of Lake Tohopekaliga, has a couple of permanent residents. Their names are — now — Skyler and Starlight, the bald eagles.
A poll to name the majestic birds that symbolize America began in November, the votes were counted and the breeding pair eagles now have names.
Commissioner Cheryl Grieb, whose District 4 includes the park, reached out to the families of Sergeant Sam Howard and Officer Matthew Baxter, the two Kissimmee police officers slain in the line of duty in an August 2017 shooting. As a result, “Starlight” and “Legend” for the female eagle and “Skyler” and “Unity” for the male were the names considered.
Starlight was the most name of the more than 500 participants in the online poll with 70 percent opting for that name. Skylar received just over 61 percent of the picks for the male name.
“It has been exciting to see people voting to name these fantastic birds – and I’m pleased with the results. I’d like to thank the families of Sergeant Howard and Officer Baxter for helping,” Grieb said. “This pair are now a small tribute that honors their sacrifice.
People from around the world have been watching the eagles over the internet (find the “Osceola County Nature Camera” at https://tinyurl.com/Osceola-Eagle-Cams), as the first egg in their nest is scheduled to hatch just before Christmas – and the second about four days later.
“Overall, this is the best season yet for the nature camera, with people excited about what they are seeing every day,” Grieb said. “The next big event will be the arrival of a pair of eaglets. And we are all eagerly waiting and watching.”
Since 2016, a total of eight bird chicks have fledged at Brownie Wise over the last four seasons, according to county staff.
Brownie Wise Park is a prime birding location, including eagles like the two currently nesting there. Osceola County is blessed with numerous lakes, making it an ideal location for bald eagles to hunt, nest and raise young. Osceola County has one of the largest concentrations of bald eagle nests in the entire state, according to wildlife officials, with an estimated 115 pairs of Southern bald eagles nesting in Osceola County any given year.
