Bald Eagle III

I realize that in many parts of the US there are no Bald Eagles or that they are rarely seen. Not so in the Northwest. Although, at one point the number of Bald Eagles had been reduced to less than 500 pairs in the lower 48 states, the numbers are back up to around 4500 nesting pairs now. In fact, the Bald Eagle was removed from the Endangered Species List in 2007. 

You would never know how rare they are if you lived in the Northwest. I remember once a friend coming to visit and upon seeing one, saying it was the first Bald Eagle she had ever seen. Yet, on a normal winter day along the Skagit River in Washington you can see around 300 Bald Eagles. On some days, as many as 700 can be seen. The Skagit River is one of the few rivers where all 5 Pacific salmon species spawn. (Chinook, also called Kings; Coho, also called Silvers; Chum, also called Dogs; Pink, also called Humpies; and Sockeye, also called Reds).

I once counted 40 Bald Eagles in a single tree. The problem, as a photographer, is "how to capture" that photo. You have to be far enough away to be able to get the entire tree in the frame. But, at such distance you loose a lot of detail and clarity. Of the many photos I have taken of large groups of Bald Eagles, none have made it to a "5" rating. Close-ups are a different story. In the photo below a Bald Eagle is sitting on what appears to be a 25-30 pound salmon that has come up the Skagit River to spawn. The Eagles will take some before they spawn, but most are taken after the fact as the salmon begin to die. It is the salmon that bring the Bald Eagles.

Bald Eagle with Salmon on the Skagit River (Washington)