Bald Eagles: Daytrip to Nooksack River

We had heard several first hand accounts of eagles feasting on fish in the Nooksack River and we finally had a beautiful day for a drive. Dan, my mom and I packed hats, gloves, cameras and snacks in the car and headed on a 2-hour drive north on New Years Day.

We stopped in Mt. Vernon and I was able to locate the farm-to-table restaurant that my friend, Amy and I ate at on our way to the Vintage Spring Market at the Skagit Valley Fairgrounds last year. The restaurant is called 3rd Street Cafe and it is run by the Skagit Valley Food Co-op. We had a delicious burgers (and one breakfast plate - oh the bacon!) and had a nice break from the car before we drove farther north.

For some reason the wind was bitter cold when we arrived around 3 in the afternoon. We learned that most of the eagles had passed through the area in mid-December (so inconvenient for me!) but we were able to see at least 20 eagles in different spots as we observed the area over the course of an hour.

This fellow seemed much closer in person and I think he enjoyed posing for us. There were at least 6 more eagles in the tree far above him. We were on the map at Nooksack River near Mosquito Lake Road (see link). We relied on that "Welcome Grocery Store" for snacks and other necessities. 

While we were out, we saw a boat marked Skagit River Tours in the water, so I'm including a link to their site: Skagit River Eagle Tours. Despite their name, they also take tours on the Nooksack River. I encourage you to watch the video on their site called "Virtual Eagle Tour." You can hear the birds and enjoy seeing the area exactly as I saw it. 
Magnificent Bald Eagles in their natural environment. It's fantastic! 

We left at 10:30 am and arrived back in town around 6 pm. It was a great day looking at the scenery, trying to name mountains and enjoying the s-u-n. If this is January in Washington (clear and 40 degrees), I'm in.

#baldeagles #daytrip #seattle #pacificnorthwest 

Bald Eagle Nest: Nature Cam Shows 2 Eggs About to Hatch

I want to make sure that you know about the LIVE Eagle Cam that is set up to view the movement inside an active Bald Eagle nest in Hanover, Pennsylvania. The website states that this nest has been used by eagles 7 out of the last 10 years and we are all indebted to the parties responsible for making this live video stream possible. Different individuals and entities have worked together to install the camera, get an internet feed and provide electricity which allows for this unobstructed look at nature. Their contributions are detailed on the eagle cam website.

I have tuned in periodically and it has been very interesting to see the eagle mates taking turns keeping the eggs warm and dry. I saw one eagle covered in snow, only her neck and head exposed, during a snow storm a few weeks ago. Another time I watched as the bird kept its wings open like an umbrella, shielding the main nest area from rain and cold. It is very interesting. 

There are 2 eggs in the nest and today the first crack appeared! We should be able to see some action in the eagle nursery soon. I wouldn't be surprised if someone creates a Twitter contest to name the fledglings. There are almost 60,000 members of the Hanover Eagle Watch Facebook group. Modern incubation, that's for sure.

By the way, I only use my own photography at Moments of Delight, so I've included a photo I took of a bald eagle on the beach in Northern Michigan as a "this post is about eagles" reference point.

Seattle: Regal Eagle

I saw my first eagle on the Pacific Northwest! I had been told that they liked to nest on the tall trees by the bridge on the edge of Lake Washington, but I looked almost daily in April and never saw one. Then the day we arrived last weekend...tah-dah!