Bald eagle flying with fish in golden morning light

A bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) flies with a salmon carcass past ice covered trees sparkling in the golden light of sunrise at the confluence of the Tsirku and Chilkat Rivers in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve. During November and December several thousand bald eagles come to the alluvial delta area at the confluence of the Tsirku and Chilkat Rivers near Haines, Alaska because of the availability of spawned-out salmon and open waters. 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 as quickly as other rivers in the area. The 48,000 acre area was designated as the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve in 1982.

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Bald eagle flying with fish in golden morning light.jpg

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© John L. Dengler

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Alaska Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve Alaska Department of Natural Resources Alaska State Parks America BAEA Bald Eagle Council Grounds Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve Chilkat River Chilkat River Bald Eagle Preserve Haines Haliaeetus leucocephalus Klukwan North America Takhin Ridge Takhinsha Mountains Tsirku River U.S. US USA United States United States of America animal animals aves avian bald eagle bird bird of prey birds birds of prey calm daybreak eagle eagles fauna frost gold hoar frost horizontal ice landscapes nature no people nobody outdoors placid protected land quiet radiation frost raptors restful scenery scenic serene skies sky snow southeast Alaska still sun up sunrise sunrises sunset tranquil travel travel destination wildlife

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Haines, Alaska