Bald eagles - Chilkat River, Chilkoot River, Alaska
107 images Created 27 Jan 2010
My bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) photography took place in two areas -- an area near the Tlingit village of Klukwan on the Chilkat River, and an area on the Chilkoot River just below Chilkoot Lake -- both areas near the town of Haines.
Bald eagles come to the area at the confluence of the Tsirku River and Chilkat River because of the availability of spawned-out salmon and open waters in late fall and winter. The open water is due to a deep accumulation of gravel and sand that acts as a large water reservoir whose water temperature remains 10 to 20 degrees warmer than the surrounding water temperature. This warmer water seeps into the Chilkat River, keeping a five mile stretch of the river from freezing. This area is known as the Chilkat Bald Eagle Council Grounds.
Photographers come to the Chilkat River in November and December to photograph one of the largest gatherings of bald eagles in the world. In 1982, the 48,000 acre area was designated as the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve.
Over the years I have photographed a same bald eagle with white wing tips and white talons. This leucistic bald eagle has been spotted on both the Chilkoot River and Chilkat River for several years. This leucistic condition -- a condition of reduced pigmentation resulting in white patches can occur while the rest of the animal is colored normal. Unlike albinism, the eye color is normal.
Bald eagles come to the area at the confluence of the Tsirku River and Chilkat River because of the availability of spawned-out salmon and open waters in late fall and winter. The open water is due to a deep accumulation of gravel and sand that acts as a large water reservoir whose water temperature remains 10 to 20 degrees warmer than the surrounding water temperature. This warmer water seeps into the Chilkat River, keeping a five mile stretch of the river from freezing. This area is known as the Chilkat Bald Eagle Council Grounds.
Photographers come to the Chilkat River in November and December to photograph one of the largest gatherings of bald eagles in the world. In 1982, the 48,000 acre area was designated as the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve.
Over the years I have photographed a same bald eagle with white wing tips and white talons. This leucistic bald eagle has been spotted on both the Chilkoot River and Chilkat River for several years. This leucistic condition -- a condition of reduced pigmentation resulting in white patches can occur while the rest of the animal is colored normal. Unlike albinism, the eye color is normal.
