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A friend of mine called today and wanted to know where the best place was to go in Alaska to photograph bald eagles. The only place that I have been has been Homer. Now with that location pretty much gone with the feeding bands imposed I told him I would try and find some info for him.

With Homer out of the picture I was wondering if anyone had any good suggestions. Either in Alaska or anywhere else for that matter.

I suggested the Haines eagle festival but have not been there personally.

Thanks...

I don't know much about the subject.

Someone told me, or I read somewhere, about an annual gathering of eagles along the Missouri or in Missouri.

Perhaps someone more knowledgeable will chime in.

You might want to try this site:

http://www.baldeagleinfo.com/

Or if you didn't want to go all the way to Alaska you could try here

Prior to Jean Kean becoming so well known, the best place in AK for eagle photography was Haines AK. They established the Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve there in the mid 1980's and have held festivals in mid November since then. Here is a link to the festival http://baldeaglefestival.org which has lots of activities beside photography.

Photographing here is much different than at Homer where the eagles came in to a bird feeder, and many began purchasing bait and throwing it out in the water after Jeans feeding brought them in. At Haines, there are miles of river with a late run of Chum Salmon that hundreds of eagles come in to feed on. Problem is they are spread up and down the river. Some driving and hiking can be productive. Also, it'snot quite a cold and you'd imagine

I've never been to these places in winter for the eagles but they supposedly congregate also on the Skagit River (Washington state) where there's a Jan/Feb festival, Klamath NWR on the Oregon/CA border and along the Mississippi (link below to one such location.)

http://www.wildlifeimagesbyles.net/Eagles/eagles.html

I've been to Burlington, IA a couple of times in the winter. I can say, without exaggerating, that standing by the dam I have seen 800 eagles at once. Pretty amazing.

However, most are fairly far away. The trick is to be there when it is -20 F. Then there isn't as much open water and they have to come in to a particular spot.

They are surprisingly skittish. Next time I go I'm going to set up a blind before the sun comes up.

There is also a place near Salt Lake City which I've heard has had great eagle viewing the last few years, but I don't know the details of this one.

There's a place in Nova Scotia, Canada that feeds bald eagles in winter. I'm not sure if this is the place but an email would answer some questions. The article I'm linking to is an older one.

http://www.outdoorns.com/features/flying.htm

Squamish, BC is ok. Even though they have a large population, they are spread out up and down river over a number of miles. Also the river at the official viewing site in Brackendale is about a quarter mile wide placing the perched eagles a long ways off. It is fine for birders, not so good for photographers, occasionally a bald will fly by overhead or close to your side of the river. I found closer opportunities by driving the dirt road up river where the river narrows a lot. Haines is similar in that the birds are scattered along a number of miles of river and the river channel is about 100-300 yards across. In Haines, though, the eagles can be found perching in trees on the road side of the river allowing for closer views. I think Homer will still be ok for eagles at least in November of this year when Jean used to start feeding, since they will show up expecting more of the same. How long they will hang around before giving up though is anybody's guess.

If you want to come to someplace a little warmer, the Eagles are coming back to nest in Sarasota, Fl.

There aren't several hundred in one area, but in some places, you can pull your car off to the side of a road, set up a chair and get great photos.

Here is one from last year....


Well, I was going to show you one from last year, I just cant seem to get it small enough!?!?

Hi,

The place near Salt Lake City, is Farmington Bay. It is about twenty-two miles north. When the duck/goose season is over they poison the carp and the eagles come in to feed on them. I have counted up to four hundred at one time a couple of years ago, but lately it has been closer to two hundred. Lots of local traffic, but you can still get close enough for good photos. Some of the locals have set up blinds and got some good images. I don't know if you have to get permission for this. Contact person would be Bob Walters at the Dept. of Wildlife Resources. 801-538-4700 Monday through Thursday.

Photos on Utahbirds.org can be seen at:

http://www.utahbirds.org/birdsofutah/PhotoIndex.html

Click on hawks, then Bald Eagles

Jack