• Facebook
  • Twitter
x

Dengler Images Photo Archive

  • Portfolio
    • Portfolio book
    • Sample images
  • Archive
  • Blog
  • About
    • Bio
    • Services
    • Instagram
    • Newsletter signup
    • Copyright
    • Privacy Policy
  • Store
    • Licensing
    • Prints
    • Note Cards
    • Books
  • Contact
  • Search
Show Navigation
Cart Lightbox Client Area

Search Results

Refine Search
Match all words
Match any word
Prints
Personal Use
Royalty-Free
Rights-Managed
(leave unchecked to
search all images)
Next
{ 264 images found }
twitterlinkedinfacebook

Loading ()...

  • A juvenile bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) sits in a tree and calls in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve along the Chilkat River near Haines, Alaska. During late fall, bald eagles congregate along the Chilkat River to feed on salmon. This gathering of bald eagles in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve is believed to be one of the largest gatherings of bald eagles in the world.
    Juvenile bald eagle in tree.jpg
  • 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.
    Bald eagle flying with fish in golde...jpg
  • A lone bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) flies above the ice-laden Chilkat River during sunrise in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve near Haines, Alaska. Photographers from around the world come to the Chilkat River to photograph bald eagles. During November and December several thousand bald eagles are seen along the river allowing for ample opportunities to photograph the birds along with beautiful scenery that the area offers. In 1982, the 48,000 acre area was designated as the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve.
    Chilkat River sunrise with bald eagl...jpg
  • Bald eagles feed on salmon in the Chilkat River in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve in late afternoon light. During late fall, bald eagles congregate along the Chilkat River to feed on salmon. This gathering of bald eagles in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve is believed to be one of the largest gatherings of bald eagles in the world.
    Bald eagles in late afternoon light.jpg
  • A bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) surveys the Chilkat River at sunrise from a tree above the Chilkat River in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve near Haines, Alaska. During late fall, bald eagles congregate along the Chilkat River in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve to feed on salmon in what is believed to be the largest gathering of bald eagles in the world.
    Sunrise with bald eagle.jpg
  • An unidentified woman photographs a bald eagle during a feeding demonstration at the American Bald Eagle Foundation in Haines, Alaska. <br />
<br />
The American Bald Eagle Foundation, founded in 1982, is a popular tourism attraction. Here tourists can see live raptor demonstrations and interpretive wildlife displays. The foundation also sponsors the Alaska Bald Eagle Festival during the fall for a gathering of bald eagles that is among the largest in the world. The foundation’s website says that it is a non-profit foundation "dedicated to the protection and preservation of bald eagle habitat through sponsoring and facilitating educational and research activities."
    Eagle feeding demonstration.jpg
  • A lone bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) flies above the ice-laden Chilkat River during sunrise in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve near Haines, Alaska. Photographers from around the world come to the Chilkat River to photograph bald eagles. During November and December several thousand bald eagles are seen along the river allowing for ample opportunities to photograph the birds along with beautiful scenery that the area offers. In 1982, the 48,000 acre area was designated as the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve.
    Chilkat River sunrise with bald eagl...jpg
  • Bald eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) survey the Chilkat River from a tree as another  bald eagle flies by above the Chilkat River in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve near Haines, Alaska. During late fall, bald eagles congregate along the Chilkat River in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve to feed on salmon in what is believed to be the largest gathering of bald eagles in the world.
    bald eagles in trees.jpg
  • The golden light of sunrise causes ice covered trees to sparkle 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.
    Golden light on ice covered trees.jpg
  • A lone bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) flies above the ice-laden Chilkat River during sunrise in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve near Haines, Alaska. Photographers from around the world come to the Chilkat River to photograph bald eagles. During November and December several thousand bald eagles are seen along the river allowing for ample opportunities to photograph the birds along with beautiful scenery that the area offers. In 1982, the 48,000 acre area was designated as the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve.
    Chilkat River sunrise with bald eagl...jpg
  • Bald eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) soar together in what is known as a kettle high above the alluvial delta area at the confluence of the Tsirku and Chilkat Rivers in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve. It was estimated that there were over 100 bald eagles in the swirling kettle. During November and December several thousand bald eagles come the confluence 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.
    Bald eagle kettle.jpg
  • An immature (juvenile) bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) rests in the snow along the banks of the Chilkat River in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve. During late fall, bald eagles congregate along the Chilkat River to feed on salmon. This gathering of bald eagles in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve is believed to be one of the largest gatherings of bald eagles in the world.
    Immature bald eagle in snow.jpg
  • Steve Lewis, Raptor Management Coordinator, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, tries to keep the bottoms of his frozen boots warm by standing on an insulation pad. Lewis was helping with the capture of bald eagles on the Chilkat River in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve. The bald eagles were being caught as part of a research study being conducted by Rachel Wheat, a graduate student at the University of California Santa Cruz. Wheat is studying the migration of bald eagles that visit the Chilkat River for her doctoral dissertation. She hopes to learn how closely eagles track salmon availability across time and space. Once caught, solar-powered GPS satellite transmitters (also known as a PTT - platform transmitter terminal) are attached to the backs of the eagles using a lightweight harness. During late fall, bald eagles congregate along the Chilkat River to feed on salmon. This gathering of bald eagles in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve is believed to be one of the largest gatherings of bald eagles in the world.
    Bald eagle migration research - 70.jpg
  • A bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) takes off from the snow covered banks of the Chilkat River in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve near Haines, Alaska. During late fall, bald eagles congregate along the Chilkat River to feed on salmon. This gathering of bald eagles in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve is believed to be one of the largest gatherings of bald eagles in the world.
    Bald eagle snowy take off.jpg
  • Ella Bredthauer, a middle school science teacher at the Haines School in Haines, Alaska, points out the location of a bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) to students during a weekly count of bald eagles along the Chilkoot River. Since 2009, students have been conducting a weekly count of bald eagles during the fall semester for the citizen science class at the Haines School. The project is part of a field-based for-credit class, sponsored by the Takshanuk Watershed Council, in which students participate in research studies and learn about field data collection. Under the guidance of Pam Randles, Takshanuk Watershed Council Education Director, students count bald eagles in the Chilkat River Valley using spotting scopes at 10 locations and present their data at the Bald Eagle Festival held in November in Haines. During late fall, bald eagles congregate along the Chilkat River to feed on salmon. This gathering of bald eagles in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve is believed to be one of the largest gatherings of bald eagles in the world.
    Bald eagle count - 3.jpg
  • Rachel Wheat, a graduate student at the University of California Santa Cruz (left), seals the rivets of a lightweight harness to which a solar-powered GPS satellite transmitter (also known as a PTT - platform transmitter terminal) is attached to the back of a bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) captured in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve. Assisting Wheat by holding the eagle is Yiwei Wang, graduate student, University of California Santa Cruz (right). A handmade leather hood keeps the eagle calm during the procedure. Wheat is conducting a bald eagle migration study of eagles that visit the Chilkat River for her doctoral dissertation. She hopes to learn how closely eagles track salmon availability across time and space. The latest tracking location data of this bald eagle known as "2Z" can be found here: http://www.ecologyalaska.com/eagle-tracker/2z/ . During late fall, bald eagles congregate along the Chilkat River to feed on salmon. This gathering of bald eagles in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve is believed to be one of the largest gatherings of bald eagles in the world.
    Bald eagle migration research - 21.jpg
  • Rachel Wheat, a graduate student at the University of California Santa Cruz, resets one of the leg snare traps she is using to trap bald eagles on the gravel bar of the Chilkat River. Wheat is conducting a bald eagle migration study of eagles that visit the Chilkat River for her doctoral dissertation. She hopes to learn how closely eagles track salmon availability across time and space. The bald eagles are being tracked using solar-powered GPS satellite transmitters (also known as a PTT - platform transmitter terminal) that attach to the backs of the eagles using a lightweight harness. During late fall, bald eagles congregate along the Chilkat River to feed on salmon. This gathering of bald eagles in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve is believed to be one of the largest gatherings of bald eagles in the world.
    Bald eagle migration research - 59.jpg
  • Steve Lewis, Raptor Management Coordinator, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (left), and Rachel Wheat, a graduate student at the University of California Santa Cruz, cross the snow-covered gravel bar of the Chilkat River to remove the traps they had set to catch bald eagles. Each morning under darkness they would set their traps. Then in the late afternoon they would remove them. Wheat is conducting a bald eagle migration study of eagles that visit the Chilkat River for her doctoral dissertation. She hopes to learn how closely eagles track salmon availability across time and space. The bald eagles are being tracked using solar-powered GPS satellite transmitters (also known as a PTT - platform transmitter terminal) that attach to the backs of the eagles using a lightweight harness. During late fall, bald eagles congregate along the Chilkat River to feed on salmon. This gathering of bald eagles in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve is believed to be one of the largest gatherings of bald eagles in the world.
    Bald eagle migration research - 74.jpg
  • Rachel Wheat, a graduate student at the University of California Santa Cruz, talks to Haines School students about the bird bands she is attaching to the bald eagles in her research study. Since 2009, Haines School students have been conducting a weekly count of bald eagles during the fall semester for the citizen science class at the Haines School in Haines, Alaska. Wheat is conducting a bald eagle migration study of eagles that visit the Chilkat River for her doctoral dissertation. She hopes to learn how closely eagles track salmon availability across time and space. The bald eagles are being tracked using solar-powered GPS satellite transmitters (also known as a PTT - platform transmitter terminal) that attach to the backs of the eagles using a lightweight harness. Along with the bright green leg bands, each of the research bald eagles will receive a silver aluminum U.S. Geologic Survey (USGS) leg band. The bright green leg bands have larger identification information than the USGS bands making it easier to read using binoculars or a spotting scope. Pictured left to right are Pam Randles, Takshanuk Watershed Council Education Director, Wheat, Heidi Kattenhorn, Allison Stuart, and Maggie Martin. During late fall, bald eagles congregate along the Chilkat River to feed on salmon. This gathering of bald eagles in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve is believed to be one of the largest gatherings of bald eagles in the world.
    Bald eagle count - 43.jpg
  • A bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) sits on a log on the bank of the Chilkat River in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve near Haines, Alaska. During November and December several thousand bald eagles come to the alluvial delta area at the confluence of the Tsirku and Chilkat Rivers 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.
    Bald eagle and Chilkat River ice.jpg
  • A bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) prepares to attack another bald eagle feeding on a salmon on the banks of the Chilkat River in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve near Haines, Alaska. Four other eagles watch the action from their perch on a log while it is snowing. During late fall, bald eagles congregate along the Chilkat River to feed on salmon. This gathering of bald eagles in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve is believed to be one of the largest gatherings of bald eagles in the world.
    Bald eagle attacking.jpg
  • A bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) surveys the Chilkat River from a tree as another bald eagle flies by above the Chilkat River in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve near Haines, Alaska. During late fall, bald eagles congregate along the Chilkat River in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve to feed on salmon in what is believed to be the largest gathering of bald eagles in the world.
    Bald eagle in tree-2.jpg
  • A bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) flies above the Chilkat River as it snows in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve near Haines, Alaska. During late fall, bald eagles congregate along the Chilkat River to feed on salmon. This gathering of bald eagles in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve is believed to be one of the largest gatherings of bald eagles in the world.
    Bald eagle flying in snow.jpg
  • A bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) sits in a tree in the morning sun in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve along the Chilkat River near Haines, Alaska. During late fall, bald eagles congregate along the Chilkat River to feed on salmon. This gathering of bald eagles in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve is believed to be one of the largest gatherings of bald eagles in the world.
    Bald eagle in tree-3.jpg
  • Students Heidi Kattenhorn (center) and Allison Stuart (right) warm up during a hot chocolate break at the 33 Mile Roadhouse after completing the weekly bald eagle count. While Kattenhorn and Stuart warm up, Pam Randles, Takshanuk Watershed Council Education Director, enters the bald eagle count totals into her tablet computer. Since 2009, students have been conducting a weekly count of bald eagles during the fall semester for the citizen science class at the Haines School. The project is part of a field-based for-credit class, sponsored by the Takshanuk Watershed Council, in which students participate in research studies and learn about field data collection. Under the guidance of Pam Randles, Takshanuk Watershed Council Education Director, students count bald eagles in the Chilkat River Valley using spotting scopes at 10 locations and present their data at the Bald Eagle Festival held in November in Haines. During late fall, bald eagles congregate along the Chilkat River to feed on salmon. This gathering of bald eagles in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve is believed to be one of the largest gatherings of bald eagles in the world.
    Bald eagle count - 39.jpg
  • Yiwei Wang, graduate student, University of California Santa Cruz, uses a spotting scope to check on leg snare traps placed on logs in the gravel bar of the Chilkat River. The traps are being used to capture bald eagles that will be used in a study being conducted by Rachel Wheat, a graduate student at the University of California Santa Cruz. Wheat is conducting a bald eagle migration study of eagles that visit the Chilkat River for her doctoral dissertation. She hopes to learn how closely eagles track salmon availability across time and space. The bald eagles are being tracked using solar-powered GPS satellite transmitters (also known as a PTT - platform transmitter terminal) that attach to the backs of the eagles using a lightweight harness. During late fall, bald eagles congregate along the Chilkat River to feed on salmon. This gathering of bald eagles in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve is believed to be one of the largest gatherings of bald eagles in the world.
    Bald eagle migration research - 36.jpg
  • Steve Lewis, Raptor Management Coordinator, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service takes blood samples from a bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) captured in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve. Assisting Lewis is Rachel Wheat, a graduate student at the University of California Santa Cruz. Blood samples are taken of the eagles to study for various things including chemical contaminants such as mercury. Wheat is conducting a bald eagle migration study of eagles that visit the Chilkat River for her doctoral dissertation. She hopes to learn how closely eagles track salmon availability across time and space. The bald eagles are being tracked using solar-powered GPS satellite transmitters (also known as a PTT - platform transmitter terminal) that attach to the backs of the eagles using a lightweight harness. The latest location of this eagle can be found here: http://www.ecologyalaska.com/eagle-tracker/4p/ . During late fall, bald eagles congregate along the Chilkat River to feed on salmon. This gathering of bald eagles in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve is believed to be one of the largest gatherings of bald eagles in the world.
    Bald eagle migration research - 46.jpg
  • An immature (juvenile) bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) walks along the bank of the Chilkat River as it snows in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve near Haines, Alaska. During late fall, bald eagles congregate along the Chilkat River to feed on salmon. This gathering of bald eagles in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve is believed to be one of the largest gatherings of bald eagles in the world.
    Juvenile bald eagle walking.jpg
  • Two bald eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) fight over a salmon carcass along the Chilkat River in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve near Haines, Alaska. During late fall, bald eagles congregate along the Chilkat River to feed on salmon. This gathering of bald eagles in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve is believed to be one of the largest gatherings of bald eagles in the world.
    Bald eagles fighting in air.jpg
  • A juvenile bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) challenges two mature bald eagles for the salmon carcass they are feeding on in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve along the Chilkat River near Haines, Alaska. During late fall, bald eagles congregate along the Chilkat River to feed on salmon. This gathering of bald eagles in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve is believed to be one of the largest gatherings of bald eagles in the world.
    Juvenile bald eagle challenge.jpg
  • A bald eagle soars high above the Chilkat River valley in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve near Haines, Alaska. During late fall, bald eagles congregate along the Chilkat River to feed on salmon. This gathering of bald eagles in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve is believed to be one of the largest gatherings of bald eagles in the world.
    Bald eagle soaring.jpg
  • A bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) flies above the Chilkat River in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve near Haines, Alaska. During late fall, bald eagles congregate along the Chilkat River in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve to feed on salmon in what is believed to be among the largest gatherings of bald eagles in the world. SPECIAL NOTE: THIS IMAGE IS A CROPPED VERSION OF IMAGE AT THIS LINK http://denglerimages.photoshelter.com/gallery-image/Bald-eagles-Chilkat-River-Chilkoot-River-Alaska/G00000i_E7eIVBoc/I000044HnB2RNlXE
    Bald eagle in flight close-up.jpg
  • A bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) flies away with the head of a chum salmon (Oncorhynchus keta) carcass over the Chilkat River in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve near Haines, Alaska. During late fall, bald eagles congregate along the Chilkat River to feed on salmon. This gathering of bald eagles in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve is believed to be one of the largest gatherings of bald eagles in the world.
    Bald eagle flying with salmon head.jpg
  • Bald eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) fight over a salmon carcass along the Chilkat River in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve near Haines, Alaska. During late fall, bald eagles congregate along the Chilkat River to feed on salmon. This gathering of bald eagles in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve is believed to be one of the largest gatherings of bald eagles in the world.
    Bald eagle confrontation.jpg
  • A bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) chases off a bald eagle from the salmon it was eating on the banks of the Chilkat River in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve near Haines, Alaska. During late fall, bald eagles congregate along the Chilkat River to feed on salmon. This gathering of bald eagles in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve is believed to be one of the largest gatherings of bald eagles in the world.
    Bald eagle chases off eagle.jpg
  • A bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) surveys the Chilkoot River from a tree in the Chilkoot Lake State Recreation Site near Haines, Alaska.
    bald eagle in tree.jpg
  • Two bald eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) sit on the banks of the Chilkat River as it rains in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve near Haines, Alaska. During late fall, bald eagles congregate along the Chilkat River to feed on salmon. This gathering of bald eagles in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve is believed to be one of the largest gatherings of bald eagles in the world.
    Bald eagles on ground.jpg
  • A bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) chases another bald eagle above the Chilkat River in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve near Haines, Alaska. During late fall, bald eagles congregate along the Chilkat River to feed on salmon. This gathering of bald eagles in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve is believed to be one of the largest gatherings of bald eagles in the world.
    Bald eagles in flight.jpg
  • Bald eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) sit and fly in the early morning fog in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve along the Chilkat River near Haines, Alaska. During late fall, bald eagles congregate along the Chilkat River to feed on salmon. This gathering of bald eagles in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve is believed to be one of the largest gatherings of bald eagles in the world.
    Bald eagle in tree in fog.jpg
  • Rachel Wheat, a graduate student at the University of California Santa Cruz (left), Dr. Taal Levi, wildlife ecologist, Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies (center) and Dr. Chris Wilmers, associate professor, University of California Santa Cruz (right) hold up the wings of a juvenile bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) so it may be photographed. Photos of a juvenile bald eagle’s mollting, particularly in the head and tail feathers, can help determine its age before it reaches maturity due to the sequential molting pattern eagles experience during the first five years of their life. Wheat is conducting a bald eagle migration study of eagles that visit the Chilkat River for her doctoral dissertation. She hopes to learn how closely eagles track salmon availability across time and space. The bald eagles are being tracked using solar-powered GPS satellite transmitters (also known as a PTT - platform transmitter terminal) that attach to the backs of the eagles using a lightweight harness. The latest tracking location data of this bald eagle known as "2Z" can be found here: http://www.ecologyalaska.com/eagle-tracker/2z/ . During late fall, bald eagles congregate along the Chilkat River to feed on salmon. This gathering of bald eagles in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve is believed to be one of the largest gatherings of bald eagles in the world.
    Bald eagle migration research - 30.jpg
  • Once leg snare and net launcher traps to catch bald eagles are set, it is a matter of waiting -- and waiting. On some days no eagles were caught, on others, only one or two were caught. The eagles were being caught as part of a research study being conducted by Rachel Wheat, a graduate student at the University of California Santa Cruz. Wheat is studying the migration of bald eagles that visit the Chilkat River for her doctoral dissertation. She hopes to learn how closely eagles track salmon availability across time and space. Once caught, solar-powered GPS satellite transmitters (also known as a PTT - platform transmitter terminal) are attached to the backs of the eagles using a lightweight harness. The eagles are then released back into the wild. Pictured here on the bank of the Chilkat River (left to right) are Dr. Scott Ford, avian veterinarian, Avian Speciality Veterinary Services of Alaska,  Yiwei Wang, graduate student, University of California Santa Cruz, Steve Lewis, Raptor Management Coordinator, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, and Wheat. During late fall, bald eagles congregate along the Chilkat River to feed on salmon. This gathering of bald eagles in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve is believed to be one of the largest gatherings of bald eagles in the world.
    Bald eagle migration research - 42.jpg
  • IMAGE 3 OF 5 IMAGE SEQUENCE -- Rachel Wheat, a graduate student at the University of California Santa Cruz, demonstrates how the hinged perch of a leg snare trap works. When a bald eagle lands on the hinged perch, a spring is sprung which tightens a looped cord around the eagle’s legs. Wheat is conducting a bald eagle migration study of eagles that visit the Chilkat River for her doctoral dissertation. She hopes to learn how closely eagles track salmon availability across time and space. The bald eagles are being tracked using solar-powered GPS satellite transmitters (also known as a PTT - platform transmitter terminal) that attach to the backs of the eagles using a lightweight harness. During late fall, bald eagles congregate along the Chilkat River to feed on salmon. This gathering of bald eagles in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve is believed to be one of the largest gatherings of bald eagles in the world.
    Bald eagle migration research - 79.jpg
  • Bald eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) fight over a salmon carcass along the Chilkat River in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve near Haines, Alaska. During late fall, bald eagles congregate along the Chilkat River to feed on salmon. This gathering of bald eagles in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve is believed to be one of the largest gatherings of bald eagles in the world.
    Bald eagles fighting-2.jpg
  • A bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) flies above the Chilkat River in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve near Haines, Alaska. During late fall, bald eagles congregate along the Chilkat River to feed on salmon. This gathering of bald eagles in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve is believed to be one of the largest gatherings of bald eagles in the world.
    Bald eagle in flight.jpg
  • A bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) flies above the Chilkat River in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve near Haines, Alaska. During late fall, bald eagles congregate along the Chilkat River to feed on salmon. This gathering of bald eagles in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve is believed to be one of the largest gatherings of bald eagles in the world.
    Bald eagle flying over Chilkat River.jpg
  • Students Heidi Kattenhorn (left) and Allison Stuart hike to their bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) counting spot along the Chilkat River, near Haines, Alaska. Since 2009, students have been conducting a weekly count of bald eagles during the fall semester for the citizen science class at the Haines School. The project is part of a field-based for-credit class, sponsored by the Takshanuk Watershed Council, in which students participate in research studies and learn about field data collection. Under the guidance of Pam Randles, Takshanuk Watershed Council Education Director, students count bald eagles in the Chilkat River Valley using spotting scopes at 10 locations and present their data at the Bald Eagle Festival held in November in Haines. During late fall, bald eagles congregate along the Chilkat River to feed on salmon. This gathering of bald eagles in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve is believed to be one of the largest gatherings of bald eagles in the world.
    Bald eagle count - 15.jpg
  • Students (left to right) Allison Stuart, Heidi Kattenhorn and Maggie Martin have a playful moment after counting bald eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) from an overlook above the Klehini River. Since 2009, students have been conducting a weekly count of bald eagles during the fall semester for the citizen science class at the Haines School. The project is part of a field-based for-credit class, sponsored by the Takshanuk Watershed Council, in which students participate in research studies and learn about field data collection. Under the guidance of Pam Randles, Takshanuk Watershed Council Education Director, students count bald eagles in the Chilkat River Valley using spotting scopes at 10 locations and present their data at the Bald Eagle Festival held in November in Haines. During late fall, bald eagles congregate along the Chilkat River to feed on salmon. This gathering of bald eagles in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve is believed to be one of the largest gatherings of bald eagles in the world.
    Bald eagle count - 34.jpg
  • Rachel Wheat, a graduate student at the University of California Santa Cruz uses calipers to take anatomy measurements of a bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) captured in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve. In this photo she is measuring the toe (hallux) claw. Beak measurements and toe claw length are two measurements that help determine the gender of a bald eagle. Female bald eagles typically have larger beaks, feet and talons. This reversal of gender size is called reverse sexual size dimorphism. Wheat is conducting a bald eagle migration study of eagles that visit the Chilkat River for her doctoral dissertation. She hopes to learn how closely eagles track salmon availability across time and space. The bald eagles are being tracked using solar-powered GPS satellite transmitters (also known as a PTT - platform transmitter terminal) that attach to the backs of the eagles using a lightweight harness. Assisting Wheat with the measurements by holding the eagle is Yiwei Wang, graduate student, University of California Santa Cruz. The latest tracking location data of this bald eagle known as "2Z" can be found here: http://www.ecologyalaska.com/eagle-tracker/2z/ . During late fall, bald eagles congregate along the Chilkat River to feed on salmon. This gathering of bald eagles in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve is believed to be one of the largest gatherings of bald eagles in the world.
    Bald eagle migration research - 14.jpg
  • Steve Lewis, Raptor Management Coordinator, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, records information about a bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) that was captured for a study being conducted by Rachel Wheat, a graduate student at the University of California Santa Cruz. Wheat is conducting a bald eagle migration study of eagles that visit the Chilkat River for her doctoral dissertation. She hopes to learn how closely eagles track salmon availability across time and space. The bald eagles are being tracked using solar-powered GPS satellite transmitters (also known as a PTT - platform transmitter terminal) that attach to the backs of the eagles using a lightweight harness. During late fall, bald eagles congregate along the Chilkat River to feed on salmon. This gathering of bald eagles in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve is believed to be one of the largest gatherings of bald eagles in the world.
    Bald eagle migration research - 33.jpg
  • Rachel Wheat, a graduate student at the University of California Santa Cruz stores a small sample of bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) feathers that were obtained during the capture of the bird in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve. Feather samples are used for stable isotope analyses. Wheat is conducting a bald eagle migration study of eagles that visit the Chilkat River for her doctoral dissertation. She hopes to learn how closely eagles track salmon availability across time and space. The bald eagles are being tracked using solar-powered GPS satellite transmitters (also known as a PTT - platform transmitter terminal) that attach to the backs of the eagles using a lightweight harness. During late fall, bald eagles congregate along the Chilkat River to feed on salmon. This gathering of bald eagles in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve is believed to be one of the largest gatherings of bald eagles in the world.
    Bald eagle migration research - 44.jpg
  • Rachel Wheat, a graduate student at the University of California Santa Cruz (left) and Steve Lewis, Raptor Management Coordinator, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, prepare to release bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) "4P" back into the wild. Wheat is conducting a bald eagle migration study of eagles that visit the Chilkat River for her doctoral dissertation. She hopes to learn how closely eagles track salmon availability across time and space. The bald eagles are being tracked using solar-powered GPS satellite transmitters (also known as a PTT - platform transmitter terminal) that attach to the backs of the eagles using a lightweight harness. A handmade leather hood is placed over the bald eagle’s eyes to keep the bird calm. Leather booties protect the researchers from the bald eagle’s powerful talons during the process of taking measurements and attaching the GPS satellite transmitter. The latest location of this eagle can be found here: http://www.ecologyalaska.com/eagle-tracker/4p/ . During late fall, bald eagles congregate along the Chilkat River to feed on salmon. This gathering of bald eagles in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve is believed to be one of the largest gatherings of bald eagles in the world.
    Bald eagle migration research - 49.jpg
  • Steve Lewis, Raptor Management Coordinator, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (right), uses a spotting scope to check on leg snare traps attached to logs in the gravel bar of the Chilkat River. The traps are being used to capture bald eagles that will be used in a study being conducted by Rachel Wheat, a graduate student at the University of California Santa Cruz (left). Once leg snare and net launcher traps to catch bald eagles are set, it is a matter of waiting -- and waiting. On some days no eagles were caught, on others, only one or two were caught. Wheat is conducting a bald eagle migration study of eagles that visit the Chilkat River for her doctoral dissertation. She hopes to learn how closely eagles track salmon availability across time and space. The bald eagles are being tracked using solar-powered GPS satellite transmitters (also known as a PTT - platform transmitter terminal) that attach to the backs of the eagles using a lightweight harness. During late fall, bald eagles congregate along the Chilkat River to feed on salmon. This gathering of bald eagles in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve is believed to be one of the largest gatherings of bald eagles in the world.
    Bald eagle migration research - 62.jpg
  • This photo is part of a sequence in which a bald eagle drags a salmon from the Chilkat River only to eat it in front of the eagle that it dragged it up to. In this image (fourth of the tweleve image sequence) a second eagle continues to drag a salmon from the river towards the other eagle. The photo was taken in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve near Haines, Alaska. During late fall, bald eagles congregate along the Chilkat River to feed on salmon. This gathering of bald eagles in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve is believed to be one of the largest gatherings of bald eagles in the world.
    Bald eagle drags fish sequence 4.jpg
  • A bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) feeds on a salmon in the Chilkat River as it snows in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve near Haines, Alaska.
    Bald eagle eating salmon in river 2.jpg
  • A patriotic mural of a bald eagle on a building in 400 Block of Main St. in Florence, Kansas takes on an impressionistic look when seen through a car windshield during rain. Florence is located in the Flint Hills in Marion County.
    Bald eagle mural.jpg
  • A juvenile bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) flies above the Chilkat River in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve near Haines, Alaska. During late fall, bald eagles congregate along the Chilkat River to feed on salmon. This gathering of bald eagles in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve is believed to be one of the largest gatherings of bald eagles in the world.
    Juvenile bald eagle in flight.jpg
  • Bald eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) feed on a salmon carcass along the Chilkat River in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve near Haines, Alaska. During late fall, bald eagles congregate along the Chilkat River in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve to feed on salmon in what is believed to be the largest gathering of bald eagles in the world.(Image 2 of 4 image sequence)
    Bald eagles feeding on fish sequence.jpg
  • A juvenile bald eagle swoops down on trumpeter swans and other waterfowl in the Snow Goose Pond Complex at Loess Bluffs NWR (formerly known as Squaw Creek). Loess Bluffs  is a wildlife refuge managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The 7,440-acre refuge, located in northwest Missouri is known for the migrating waterfowl, particularly Snow Geese. Fall and Spring migration can bring millions of Snow Geese to the refuge. Also, bald eagles and an occasional golden eagle pass through the area during the fall and winter months. <br />
<br />
The 10-mile auto tour around the waterways and marshes of the refuge is an excellent way to spot birds of prey, waterfowl, beavers, otters, and muskrats.
    Bald eagle attacking swans.jpg
  • A bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) flies above the Chilkat River in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve near Haines, Alaska. During late fall, bald eagles congregate along the Chilkat River to feed on salmon. This gathering of bald eagles in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve is believed to be one of the largest gatherings of bald eagles in the world.
    Bald eagle in flight.jpg
  • An adult bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) attacks an immature (juvenile) bald eagle feeding on a salmon carcass on the banks of the Chilkat River in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve. It takes four to five years for a bald eagle to develop the distinctive white head, tail and yellow beak. During late fall, bald eagles congregate along the Chilkat River to feed on salmon. This gathering of bald eagles in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve is believed to be one of the largest gatherings of bald eagles in the world.
    Adult bald eagle attacks immature ea...jpg
  • A bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) is seen flying over Allison Stuart as she photographs other bald eagles along the Chilkoot River near Haines, Alaska. Looking on is fellow student Maggie Martin (left). Stuart and Martin were part of a class team conducting a count of bald eagles as part of  their citizen science class project at the Haines School. Behind the car are Ella Bredthauer, Haines middle school science teacher and Meredith Pochardt, Takshanuk Watershed Council project manager. The project is part of a field-based for-credit class, sponsored by the Takshanuk Watershed Council, in which students participate in research studies and learn about field data collection. Under the guidance of Pam Randles, Takshanuk Watershed Council Education Director, students count bald eagles in the Chilkat River Valley using spotting scopes at 10 locations and present their data at the Bald Eagle Festival held in November in Haines. During late fall, bald eagles congregate along the Chilkat River to feed on salmon. This gathering of bald eagles in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve is believed to be one of the largest gatherings of bald eagles in the world.
    Bald eagle count - 4.jpg
  • Student Allison Stuart uses a spotting scope to count bald eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) along the Chilkat River, near Haines, Alaska. Looking on are fellow students Maggie Martin and Heidi Kattenhorn (right). Since 2009, students have been conducting a weekly count of bald eagles during the fall semester for the citizen science class at the Haines School. The project is part of a field-based for-credit class, sponsored by the Takshanuk Watershed Council, in which students participate in research studies and learn about field data collection. Under the guidance of Pam Randles, Takshanuk Watershed Council Education Director, students count bald eagles in the Chilkat River Valley using spotting scopes at 10 locations and present their data at the Bald Eagle Festival held in November in Haines. During late fall, bald eagles congregate along the Chilkat River to feed on salmon. This gathering of bald eagles in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve is believed to be one of the largest gatherings of bald eagles in the world.
    Bald eagle count - 6.jpg
  • Students Maggie Martin (left) and Allison Stuart count bald eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) along the Chilkat River in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve, near Haines, Alaska. Since 2009, students have been conducting a weekly count of bald eagles during the fall semester for the citizen science class at the Haines School. The project is part of a field-based for-credit class, sponsored by the Takshanuk Watershed Council, in which students participate in research studies and learn about field data collection. Under the guidance of Pam Randles, Takshanuk Watershed Council Education Director, students count bald eagles in the Chilkat River Valley using spotting scopes at 10 locations and present their data at the Bald Eagle Festival held in November in Haines. During late fall, bald eagles congregate along the Chilkat River to feed on salmon. This gathering of bald eagles in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve is believed to be one of the largest gatherings of bald eagles in the world.
    Bald eagle count - 8.jpg
  • Student Heidi Kattenhorn (left) and Pam Randles, Takshanuk Watershed Council Education Director count bald eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) along the Chilkat River in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve, near Haines, Alaska. Since 2009, students have been conducting a weekly count of bald eagles during the fall semester for the citizen science class at the Haines School. The project is part of a field-based for-credit class, sponsored by the Takshanuk Watershed Council, in which students participate in research studies and learn about field data collection. Under the guidance of Pam Randles, Takshanuk Watershed Council Education Director, students count bald eagles in the Chilkat River Valley using spotting scopes at 10 locations and present their data at the Bald Eagle Festival held in November in Haines. During late fall, bald eagles congregate along the Chilkat River to feed on salmon. This gathering of bald eagles in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve is believed to be one of the largest gatherings of bald eagles in the world.eagles in the world.
    Bald eagle count - 17.jpg
  • Students Heidi Kattenhorn (left) and Maggie Martin count bald eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) along the Chilkat River in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve, near Haines, Alaska. Since 2009, students have been conducting a weekly count of bald eagles during the fall semester for the citizen science class at the Haines School. The project is part of a field-based for-credit class, sponsored by the Takshanuk Watershed Council, in which students participate in research studies and learn about field data collection. Under the guidance of Pam Randles, Takshanuk Watershed Council Education Director, students count bald eagles in the Chilkat River Valley using spotting scopes at 10 locations and present their data at the Bald Eagle Festival held in November in Haines. During late fall, bald eagles congregate along the Chilkat River to feed on salmon. This gathering of bald eagles in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve is believed to be one of the largest gatherings of bald eagles in the world.
    Bald eagle count - 19.jpg
  • Students Heidi Kattenhorn (left) and Maggie Martin count bald eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) along the Chilkat River in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve, near Haines, Alaska. Since 2009, students have been conducting a weekly count of bald eagles during the fall semester for the citizen science class at the Haines School. The project is part of a field-based for-credit class, sponsored by the Takshanuk Watershed Council, in which students participate in research studies and learn about field data collection. Under the guidance of Pam Randles, Takshanuk Watershed Council Education Director, students count bald eagles in the Chilkat River Valley using spotting scopes at 10 locations and present their data at the Bald Eagle Festival held in November in Haines. During late fall, bald eagles congregate along the Chilkat River to feed on salmon. This gathering of bald eagles in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve is believed to be one of the largest gatherings of bald eagles in the world.
    Bald eagle count - 22.jpg
  • Student Heidi Kattenhorn (left), and Pam Randles, Takshanuk Watershed Council Education Director, hike to their bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) spotting location on the Klehini River Bridge, near the Porcupine Crossing turnoff to count bald eagles. Since 2009, students have been conducting a weekly count of bald eagles during the fall semester for the citizen science class at the Haines School. The project is part of a field-based for-credit class, sponsored by the Takshanuk Watershed Council, in which students participate in research studies and learn about field data collection. Under the guidance of Pam Randles, Takshanuk Watershed Council Education Director, students count bald eagles in the Chilkat River Valley using spotting scopes at 10 locations and present their data at the Bald Eagle Festival held in November in Haines. During late fall, bald eagles congregate along the Chilkat River to feed on salmon. This gathering of bald eagles in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve is believed to be one of the largest gatherings of bald eagles in the world.
    Bald eagle count - 24.jpg
  • Steve Lewis, Raptor Management Coordinator, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (left) and Dr. Scott Ford, avian veterinarian, Avian Speciality Veterinary Services of Alaska (right), take blood samples from a bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) captured in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve. Holding the eagle is Yiwei Wang, graduate student, University of California Santa Cruz. Blood samples are taken of the eagles to study for various things including chemical contaminants such as mercury. Rachel Wheat, graduate student at the University of California Santa Cruz (not pictured) is conducting a bald eagle migration study of eagles that visit the Chilkat River for her doctoral dissertation. She hopes to learn how closely eagles track salmon availability across time and space. The bald eagles are being tracked using solar-powered GPS satellite transmitters (also known as a PTT - platform transmitter terminal) that attach to the backs of the eagles using a lightweight harness. The latest tracking location data of this bald eagle known as "2Z" can be found here: http://www.ecologyalaska.com/eagle-tracker/2z/ . During late fall, bald eagles congregate along the Chilkat River to feed on salmon. This gathering of bald eagles in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve is believed to be one of the largest gatherings of bald eagles in the world.
    Bald eagle migration research - 24.jpg
  • Steve Lewis, Raptor Management Coordinator, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (left) and Dr. Scott Ford, avian veterinarian, Avian Speciality Veterinary Services of Alaska (right) take blood samples from a bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) captured in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve. Holding the eagle is Yiwei Wang, graduate student, University of California Santa Cruz. Watching the procedure is Rachel Wheat, graduate student at the University of California Santa Cruz. Blood samples are taken of the eagles to study for various things including chemical contaminants such as mercury. Wheat is conducting a bald eagle migration study of eagles that visit the Chilkat River for her doctoral dissertation. She hopes to learn how closely eagles track salmon availability across time and space. The bald eagles are being tracked using solar-powered GPS satellite transmitters (also known as a PTT - platform transmitter terminal) that attach to the backs of the eagles using a lightweight harness. The latest tracking location data of this bald eagle known as "2Z" can be found here: http://www.ecologyalaska.com/eagle-tracker/2z/ . During late fall, bald eagles congregate along the Chilkat River to feed on salmon. This gathering of bald eagles in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve is believed to be one of the largest gatherings of bald eagles in the world.
    Bald eagle migration research - 25.jpg
  • Dr. Scott Ford, avian veterinarian, Avian Speciality Veterinary Services of Alaska (right), reviews a video he made for his website of Rachel Wheat, a graduate student at the University of California Santa Cruz. Wheat is conducting a bald eagle migration study of eagles that visit the Chilkat River for her doctoral dissertation. She hopes to learn how closely eagles track salmon availability across time and space. The bald eagles are being tracked using solar-powered GPS satellite transmitters (also known as a PTT - platform transmitter terminal) that attach to the backs of the eagles using a lightweight harness. Information about Wheat’s bald eagle migration study and the latest updates on the locations of the bald eagles she is tracking can be found on the Ecology Alaska website http://www.ecologyalaska.com . Social media and education outreach are an important facet of Wheat’s project. Wheat along with Yiwei Wang, graduate student, University of California Santa Cruz and Dr. Taal Levi, wildlife ecologist, Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies funded their various Alaska research projects through an innovative Kickstarter fundraising campaign. During late fall, bald eagles congregate along the Chilkat River to feed on salmon. This gathering of bald eagles in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve is believed to be one of the largest gatherings of bald eagles in the world.
    Bald eagle migration research - 35.jpg
  • Rachel Wheat, a graduate student at the University of California Santa Cruz (left) and Steve Lewis, Raptor Management Coordinator, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, use spotting scopes to check on leg snare and net launcher traps they set on the gravel bar of the Chilkat River. The traps are being used to capture bald eagles that will be used in a study being conducted by Wheat. Once the traps are set, it is a matter of waiting -- and waiting. On some days no eagles were caught, on others, only one or two were caught. Wheat is conducting a bald eagle migration study of eagles that visit the Chilkat River for her doctoral dissertation. She hopes to learn how closely eagles track salmon availability across time and space. The bald eagles are being tracked using solar-powered GPS satellite transmitters (also known as a PTT - platform transmitter terminal) that attach to the backs of the eagles using a lightweight harness. During late fall, bald eagles congregate along the Chilkat River to feed on salmon. This gathering of bald eagles in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve is believed to be one of the largest gatherings of bald eagles in the world.
    Bald eagle migration research - 66.jpg
  • Rachel Wheat, a graduate student at the University of California Santa Cruz (left) and Steve Lewis, Raptor Management Coordinator, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, use spotting scopes to check on leg snare and net launcher traps they set on the gravel bar of the Chilkat River. The traps are being used to capture bald eagles that will be used in a study being conducted by Wheat. Once the traps are set, it is a matter of waiting -- and waiting. On some days no eagles were caught, on others, only one or two were caught. Wheat is conducting a bald eagle migration study of eagles that visit the Chilkat River for her doctoral dissertation. She hopes to learn how closely eagles track salmon availability across time and space. The bald eagles are being tracked using solar-powered GPS satellite transmitters (also known as a PTT - platform transmitter terminal) that attach to the backs of the eagles using a lightweight harness. During late fall, bald eagles congregate along the Chilkat River to feed on salmon. This gathering of bald eagles in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve is believed to be one of the largest gatherings of bald eagles in the world.
    Bald eagle migration research - 68-2.jpg
  • Steve Lewis, Raptor Management Coordinator, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service used leg snare traps and also a net launcher to capture bald eagles on the Chilkat River in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve. Pictured here is a leg snare trap attached to a driftwood log. Leg snare traps employ a lopped cord draped over a hinged perch. When a bald eagle lands on the perch a spring is sprung which tightens a looped cord around the bald eagle’s legs. The trap was used to capture bald eagles for a study being conducted by Rachel Wheat, a graduate student at the University of California Santa Cruz. Wheat is conducting a bald eagle migration study of eagles that visit the Chilkat River for her doctoral dissertation. She hopes to learn how closely eagles track salmon availability across time and space. The bald eagles are being tracked using solar-powered GPS satellite transmitters (also known as a PTT - platform transmitter terminal) that attach to the backs of the eagles using a lightweight harness. During late fall, bald eagles congregate along the Chilkat River to feed on salmon. This gathering of bald eagles in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve is believed to be one of the largest gatherings of bald eagles in the world.
    Bald eagle migration research - 75.jpg
  • IMAGE 4 OF 5 IMAGE SEQUENCE -- Rachel Wheat, a graduate student at the University of California Santa Cruz, demonstrates how the hinged perch of a leg snare trap works. When a bald eagle lands on the hinged perch, a spring is sprung which tightens a looped cord around the eagle’s legs. Wheat is conducting a bald eagle migration study of eagles that visit the Chilkat River for her doctoral dissertation. She hopes to learn how closely eagles track salmon availability across time and space. The bald eagles are being tracked using solar-powered GPS satellite transmitters (also known as a PTT - platform transmitter terminal) that attach to the backs of the eagles using a lightweight harness. During late fall, bald eagles congregate along the Chilkat River to feed on salmon. This gathering of bald eagles in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve is believed to be one of the largest gatherings of bald eagles in the world.
    Bald eagle migration research - 80.jpg
  • Pam Randles, Takshanuk Watershed Council Education Director (center), reviews the previous day’s bald eagle count that her team of students conducted for their citizen science class at the Haines School with a team of researchers studying bald eagle migration. Rachel Wheat (left), a graduate student at the University of California Santa Cruz is conducting a bald eagle migration study of eagles that visit the Chilkat River for her doctoral dissertation. She hopes to learn how closely eagles track salmon availability across time and space. Wheat is tracking bald eagles using solar-powered GPS satellite transmitters (also known as a PTT - platform transmitter terminal)  that attach to the backs of the eagles using a lightweight harness. Assisting Wheat with the capture, tagging and mounting of the transmitters on the birds are (from right to left): Dr. Scott Ford, avian veterinarian, Avian Speciality Veterinary Services of Alaska; Steve Lewis, Raptor Management Coordinator, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service; Yiwei Wang, graduate student at University of California Santa Cruz; Dr. Taal Levi, wildlife ecologist, Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies and Dr. Chris Wilmers, associate professor University of California Santa Cruz (second from left). Also pictured (third person from left) is Liza Gross, freelance journalist. During late fall, bald eagles congregate along the Chilkat River to feed on salmon. This gathering of bald eagles in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve is believed to be one of the largest gatherings of bald eagles in the world.
    Bald eagle count - 40.jpg
  • Rachel Wheat, a graduate student at the University of California Santa Cruz, talks to Haines School students about the bird bands she is attaching to the bald eagles in her research study. Since 2009, Haines School students have been conducting a weekly count of bald eagles during the fall semester for the citizen science class at the Haines School in Haines, Alaska. Wheat is conducting a bald eagle migration study of eagles that visit the Chilkat River for her doctoral dissertation. She hopes to learn how closely eagles track salmon availability across time and space. The bald eagles are being tracked using solar-powered GPS satellite transmitters (also known as a PTT - platform transmitter terminal) that attach to the backs of the eagles using a lightweight harness. Along with the bright green leg bands, each of the research bald eagles will receive a silver aluminum U.S. Geologic Survey (USGS) leg band. The bright green leg bands have larger identification information than the USGS bands making it easier to read using binoculars or a spotting scope. During late fall, bald eagles congregate along the Chilkat River to feed on salmon. This gathering of bald eagles in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve is believed to be one of the largest gatherings of bald eagles in the world.
    Bald eagle migration research - 57.jpg
  • Bald eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) sit on the gravel bar of the Chilkat River during a snowstorm in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve near Haines, Alaska. During late fall, bald eagles congregate along the Chilkat River to feed on salmon. This gathering of bald eagles in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve is believed to be one of the largest gatherings of bald eagles in the world.
    Bald eagles in snow 2.jpg
  • This photo is part of a sequence in which a bald eagle drags a salmon from the Chilkat River only to eat it in front of the eagle that it dragged it up to. In this image (twelfth of the twelve image sequence) one of the eagles has dropped to the ground and stands firm, chasing the other eagle away. The photo was taken in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve near Haines, Alaska. During late fall, bald eagles congregate along the Chilkat River to feed on salmon. This gathering of bald eagles in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve is believed to be one of the largest gatherings of bald eagles in the world.
    Bald eagle drags fish sequence 12.jpg
  • An immature (juvenile) bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) stretches its wings in a tree in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve along the Chilkat River near Haines, Alaska. During late fall, bald eagles congregate along the Chilkat River to feed on salmon. This gathering of bald eagles in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve is believed to be one of the largest gatherings of bald eagles in the world.
    Immature bald eagle stretches.jpg
  • An immature bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) watches a mature bald eagle fly by along the bank of the Chilkat River as it snows in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve near Haines, Alaska. The red material on the beak of the mature eagle is from salmon that the eagle had been eating. During late fall, bald eagles congregate along the Chilkat River to feed on salmon. This gathering of bald eagles in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve is believed to be one of the largest gatherings of bald eagles in the world.
    Mature bald eagle and juvenile bald ...jpg
  • A bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) flies away with the head of a salmon carcass over the Chilkat River in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve near Haines, Alaska. During late fall, bald eagles congregate along the Chilkat River to feed on salmon. This gathering of bald eagles in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve is believed to be one of the largest gatherings of bald eagles in the world.
    Eagle flying with fish head.jpg
  • A bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) chases off a bald eagle from the salmon it was eating on the banks of the Chilkat River in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve near Haines, Alaska. During late fall, bald eagles congregate along the Chilkat River to feed on salmon. This gathering of bald eagles in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve is believed to be one of the largest gatherings of bald eagles in the world.
    Bald eagle confrontation sequence.jpg
  • A mature bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) defends the salmon carcass that it is feeding on from an attacking juvenile bald eagle along the Chilkat River in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve near Haines, Alaska. During late fall, bald eagles congregate along the Chilkat River to feed on salmon. This gathering of bald eagles in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve is believed to be one of the largest gatherings of bald eagles in the world.
    Bald eagle confrontation-3.jpg
  • A juvenile bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) flies in the Chilkat River Bald Eagle Preserve along the Chilkat River near the village of Klukwan in Alaska. During late fall, bald eagles congregate along the Chilkat River to feed on salmon. This gathering of bald eagles in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve is believed to be one of the largest gatherings of bald eagles in the world.
    Juvenile bald eagle in flight-2.jpg
  • A pair of bald eagles perched in a tree overlooking the Cattail Pool at Loess Bluffs NWR (formerly known as Squaw Creek). Loess Bluffs is a wildlife refuge managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The 7,440-acre refuge, located in northwest Missouri is known for the migrating waterfowl, particularly Snow Geese. Fall and Spring migration can bring millions of Snow Geese to the refuge. Also, bald eagles and an occasional golden eagle pass through the area during the fall and winter months. <br />
<br />
The 10-mile auto tour around the waterways and marshes of the refuge is an excellent way to spot birds of prey, waterfowl, beavers, otters, and muskrats.
    Pair of bald eagles with setting moo...jpg
  • A juvenile bald eagle feeds on the remains of waterfowl in the Pelican Pool at the Loess Bluffs NWR (formerly known as Squaw Creek). Loess Bluffs is a wildlife refuge managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The 7,440-acre refuge, located in northwest Missouri is known for the migrating waterfowl, particularly Snow Geese. Fall and Spring migration can bring millions of Snow Geese to the refuge. Also, bald eagles and an occasional golden eagle pass through the area during the fall and winter months. <br />
<br />
The 10-mile auto tour around the waterways and marshes of the refuge is an excellent way to spot birds of prey, waterfowl, beavers, otters, and muskrats.
    Juvenile bald eagle feeding.jpg
  • A juvenile bald eagle surveys the Pelican Pool at Loess Bluffs NWR (formerly known as Squaw Creek). Loess Bluffs is a wildlife refuge managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The 7,440-acre refuge, located in northwest Missouri is known for the migrating waterfowl, particularly Snow Geese. Fall and Spring migration can bring millions of Snow Geese to the refuge. Also, bald eagles and an occasional golden eagle pass through the area during the fall and winter months. <br />
<br />
The 10-mile auto tour around the waterways and marshes of the refuge is an excellent way to spot birds of prey, waterfowl, beavers, otters, and muskrats.
    Juvenile bald eagle.jpg
  • A bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) drags a chum salmon (Oncorhynchus keta) onto the gravel bar of the Chilkat River in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve near Haines, Alaska. During late fall, bald eagles congregate along the Chilkat River to feed on salmon. This gathering of bald eagles in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve is believed to be one of the largest gatherings of bald eagles in the world. EDITORS NOTE: Image is a cropped version of Image ID I0000C8fO92kKcJE.
    Bald eagle dragging fish.jpg
  • A bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) drags a chum salmon (Oncorhynchus keta) onto the gravel bar of the Chilkat River in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve near Haines, Alaska. During late fall, bald eagles congregate along the Chilkat River to feed on salmon. This gathering of bald eagles in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve is believed to be one of the largest gatherings of bald eagles in the world.
    Bald eagle dragging fish.jpg
  • This bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) resting along the banks of the Chilkat River in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve is equipped with a patagial tag (#24), a leg band (4G) and a solar powered GPS tracking satellite transmitter. The transmitter’s antenna can be seen sticking out of the eagle’s feathers to the right of the green patagial tag. The eagle is being tracked by Steve Lewis of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Juneau, Alaska as part of a study examining the effects of nest removal at the Juneau airport (approximately 95 miles away). During late fall, bald eagles congregate along the Chilkat River to feed on salmon. This gathering of bald eagles in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve is believed to be one of the largest gatherings of bald eagles in the world.
    Research bald eagle number 24 restin...jpg
  • A bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) flies with the remains of a salmon carcass above the Chilkat River in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve near Haines, Alaska. During late fall, bald eagles congregate along the Chilkat River to feed on salmon. This gathering of bald eagles in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve is believed to be one of the largest gatherings of bald eagles in the world.
    Bald eagle with fish tail.jpg
  • Pam Randles, Takshanuk Watershed Council Education Director, is about to find her self in the middle of snowball throwing between students Maggie Martin (left) and Allison Stuart (right) after counting bald eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) from an overlook above the Klehini River. Since 2009, students have been conducting a weekly count of bald eagles during the fall semester for the citizen science class at the Haines School. The project is part of a field-based for-credit class, sponsored by the Takshanuk Watershed Council, in which students participate in research studies and learn about field data collection. Under the guidance of Pam Randles, Takshanuk Watershed Council Education Director, students count bald eagles in the Chilkat River Valley using spotting scopes at 10 locations and present their data at the Bald Eagle Festival held in November in Haines. During late fall, bald eagles congregate along the Chilkat River to feed on salmon. This gathering of bald eagles in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve is believed to be one of the largest gatherings of bald eagles in the world.
    Bald eagle count - 35.jpg
  • Rachel Wheat, a graduate student at the University of California Santa Cruz holds a leg band that will be attached to one of the bald eagles in her bald eagle migration study. The bald eagles in her study receive two different leg bands. Along with a silver aluminum U.S. Geologic Survey (USGS) leg band, eagles also receive a bright green auxiliary leg band. The bright green leg bands have larger identification information than the USGS bands making it more easily read using a spotting scope. Wheat is conducting a bald eagle migration study of eagles that visit the Chilkat River for her doctoral dissertation. She hopes to learn how closely eagles track salmon availability across time and space. Wheat is tracking bald eagles using solar-powered GPS satellite transmitters (also known as PTT - platform transmitter terminal)  that attach to the backs of the eagles using a lightweight harness. Should the GPS transmitter fail or if the bird is found dead, spotted or recaptured, the leg bands can be another source of information. The latest tracking location data of this bald eagle known as "2Z" can be found here: http://www.ecologyalaska.com/eagle-tracker/2z/ . During late fall, bald eagles congregate along the Chilkat River to feed on salmon. This gathering of bald eagles in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve is believed to be one of the largest gatherings of bald eagles in the world.
    Bald eagle migration research - 5.jpg
  • Rachel Wheat, a graduate student at the University of California Santa Cruz uses calipers to take length and depth measurements of the beak of a bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) captured in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve. In this photo she is determining the beak depth. Beak measurements and toe claw (hallux) length are two measurements that help determine the gender of a bald eagle. Female bald eagles typically have larger beaks, feet and talons. This reversal of gender size is called reverse sexual size dimorphism. Wheat is conducting a bald eagle migration study of eagles that visit the Chilkat River for her doctoral dissertation. She hopes to learn how closely eagles track salmon availability across time and space. The bald eagles are being tracked using solar-powered GPS satellite transmitters (also known as a PTT - platform transmitter terminal) that attach to the backs of the eagles using a lightweight harness. Assisting Wheat with the measurements by holding the eagle is Yiwei Wang, graduate student, University of California Santa Cruz. The latest tracking location data of this bald eagle known as "2Z" can be found here: http://www.ecologyalaska.com/eagle-tracker/2z/ . During late fall, bald eagles congregate along the Chilkat River to feed on salmon. This gathering of bald eagles in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve is believed to be one of the largest gatherings of bald eagles in the world.
    Bald eagle migration research - 13.jpg
  • Rachel Wheat, a graduate student at the University of California Santa Cruz counts the primary feathers on a bald eagle’s (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) wing in preparation for clipping a small sample for stable isotope analyses. For consistency, she removed approximately two centimeters from the fourth secondary feather of each eagle's right wing. By counting out the ten primary feathers, she knew where to start counting to access the fourth secondary. Wheat is conducting a bald eagle migration study of eagles that visit the Chilkat River for her doctoral dissertation. She hopes to learn how closely eagles track salmon availability across time and space. The bald eagles are being tracked using solar-powered GPS satellite transmitters (also known as a PTT - platform transmitter terminal) that attach to the backs of the eagles using a lightweight harness. Assisting Wheat with the measurements and transmitter installation by holding the eagle is Yiwei Wang, graduate student, University of California Santa Cruz. The latest tracking location data of this bald eagle known as "2Z" can be found here: http://www.ecologyalaska.com/eagle-tracker/2z/ . During late fall, bald eagles congregate along the Chilkat River to feed on salmon. This gathering of bald eagles in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve is believed to be one of the largest gatherings of bald eagles in the world.
    Bald eagle migration research - 23.jpg
  • Rachel Wheat, a graduate student at the University of California Santa Cruz (left), Steve Lewis, Raptor Management Coordinator, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (center) and Dr. Chris Wilmers, associate professor, University of California Santa Cruz (right) hold up the wings of a juvenile bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) so it may be photographed. Photos of a juvenile bald eagle’s molting, particularly in the head and tail feathers, can help determine its age before it reaches maturity due to the sequential molting pattern eagles experience during the first five years of their life. Wheat is conducting a bald eagle migration study of eagles that visit the Chilkat River for her doctoral dissertation. She hopes to learn how closely eagles track salmon availability across time and space. The bald eagles are being tracked using solar-powered GPS satellite transmitters (also known as a PTT - platform transmitter terminal) that attach to the backs of the eagles using a lightweight harness. The latest tracking location data of this bald eagle known as "2Z" can be found here: http://www.ecologyalaska.com/eagle-tracker/2z/ . During late fall, bald eagles congregate along the Chilkat River to feed on salmon. This gathering of bald eagles in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve is believed to be one of the largest gatherings of bald eagles in the world.
    Bald eagle migration research - 32.jpg
  • Rachel Wheat, a graduate student at the University of California Santa Cruz, poses for a photo with bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) "4P" before releasing the bald eagle back into the wild. Wheat is conducting a bald eagle migration study of eagles that visit the Chilkat River for her doctoral dissertation. She hopes to learn how closely eagles track salmon availability across time and space. The bald eagles are being tracked using solar-powered GPS satellite transmitters (also known as a PTT - platform transmitter terminal) that attach to the backs of the eagles using a lightweight harness. A handmade leather hood is placed over the bald eagle’s eyes to keep the bird calm. Leather booties cover the bald eagle’s powerful talons to protect researchers during the process of taking measurements and attaching the GPS satellite transmitter. The latest location of this eagle can be found here: http://www.ecologyalaska.com/eagle-tracker/4p/ . During late fall, bald eagles congregate along the Chilkat River to feed on salmon. This gathering of bald eagles in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve is believed to be one of the largest gatherings of bald eagles in the world.
    Bald eagle migration research - 48.jpg
  • Rachel Wheat, a graduate student at the University of California Santa Cruz (center) holds bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) "4P" as it is being prepared to be released back into the wild. Yiwei Wang, graduate student, University of California Santa Cruz (left), and Steve Lewis, Raptor Management Coordinator, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (right), remove the leather booties that protected the researchers from the bald eagle’s powerful talons during the process of taking measurements and attaching the GPS satellite transmitter. Wheat is conducting a bald eagle migration study of eagles that visit the Chilkat River for her doctoral dissertation. She hopes to learn how closely eagles track salmon availability across time and space. The bald eagles are being tracked using solar-powered GPS satellite transmitters (also known as a PTT - platform transmitter terminal) that attach to the backs of the eagles using a lightweight harness. The latest location of this eagle can be found here: http://www.ecologyalaska.com/eagle-tracker/4p/ . During late fall, bald eagles congregate along the Chilkat River to feed on salmon. This gathering of bald eagles in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve is believed to be one of the largest gatherings of bald eagles in the world.
    Bald eagle migration research - 51.jpg
  • For a moment Steve Lewis, Raptor Management Coordinator, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, thinks a bald eagle might be caught in one of the leg snare traps he placed in the Chilkat River in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve. The bald eagles were being caught as part of a research study being conducted by Rachel Wheat, a graduate student at the University of California Santa Cruz. Wheat is studying the migration of bald eagles that visit the Chilkat River for her doctoral dissertation. She hopes to learn how closely eagles track salmon availability across time and space. Once caught, solar-powered GPS satellite transmitters (also known as a PTT - platform transmitter terminal) are attached to the backs of the eagles using a lightweight harness. During late fall, bald eagles congregate along the Chilkat River to feed on salmon. This gathering of bald eagles in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve is believed to be one of the largest gatherings of bald eagles in the world.
    Bald eagle migration research - 58.jpg
  • Steve Lewis, Raptor Management Coordinator, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service used two types of traps to capture bald eagles on the Chilkat River in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve. At left is a camouflaged net launcher, and on the driftwood log at right is a leg snare trap. The net launcher uses three projectiles that are attached to a large lightweight net. A salmon carcass is used at bait in front of the launcher. A radio-controlled trigger to launch the net is used when an eagle lands next to the bait. Leg snare traps employ a lopped cord on a hinged perch. When a bald eagle lands on the perch a spring is sprung which tightens a looped cord around the bald eagle’s legs. The two types of traps were used to capture bald eagles for a study being conducted by Rachel Wheat, a graduate student at the University of California Santa Cruz. Wheat is conducting a bald eagle migration study of eagles that visit the Chilkat River for her doctoral dissertation. She hopes to learn how closely eagles track salmon availability across time and space. The bald eagles are being tracked using solar-powered GPS satellite transmitters (also known as a PTT - platform transmitter terminal) that attach to the backs of the eagles using a lightweight harness. During late fall, bald eagles congregate along the Chilkat River to feed on salmon. This gathering of bald eagles in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve is believed to be one of the largest gatherings of bald eagles in the world.
    Bald eagle migration research - 71.jpg
Next