Destination: Washington : THE EAGLES HAVE LANDED

On the northern bank of the Skagit, one mile upstream from the quiet river town of Rockport, a thick, icy mist shrouds the riverbank. Across the river, slim alder trees stripped of their leaves by the cold winter winds stand like skeletons barely visible through the swirling, gray blanket of mid-December fog. It’s 8 a.m., the air temperature hovers near freezing and the sun shines weakly through the bare trees.

Our group has gathered along the river bank in the Skagit River Bald Eagle Natural Area to attend a day-long seminar presented by the North Cascades Institute, a private, nonprofit, Washington-based educational organization that, in addition to other endeavors, sponsors field trips to explore the natural wonders of the Pacific Northwest.

On this trip we are looking for eagles.

By now, the sun’s rays have slowly burned through the fog and the outlines of distant trees have begun to reappear from the frozen mist. With spotting scopes and telephoto lenses we finally catch sight of a half-dozen dark shapes resting on the thin branches on the opposite bank. Our pulses quicken as we see the snowy-white heads that identify the shapes as bald eagles.

As we stamp our feet against the biting cold, Libby Mills, our leader and teacher, begins her presentation on the habits of the majestic birds.

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We are standing in this spot because each winter, the Skagit River valley in northwestern Washington state provides a spectacular backdrop for the dramatic story of the interrelationship between eagles and salmon.

In November and December several species of Pacific salmon begin arriving in Puget Sound from the far reaches of the North Pacific Ocean to begin their spawning ritual in the rivers of their birth. Their arrival coincides with that of the hundreds of Canadian and Alaskan bald eagles that winter in selected places in the Lower 48--among them, this part of Washington.

Not surprisingly, because of the abundance of spawning salmon, the Skagit and several other western Washington rivers are favored sites for the eagles. They spend the dark winter months gorging on the spent salmon carcasses before returning in February and March to their territories far to the north.

Under the tutelage of Mills, a professional naturalist/biologist who has spent years studying the eagles in their natural habitat, our group of eagle voyeurs is a random mix. Two elementary school teachers, a Seattle teaching veteran and a classroom rookie from nearby Bellingham, are gathering information for a presentation to their classes. We also include a retired couple interested in learning more about the migration of the eagles; a husband and wife team of writer/photographer (my wife and I) and three female friends from the local area.

The seminar provides a high-quality program designed for a general audience. Its non-academic approach in this natural setting is conducive to learning about the natural world at a relaxed pace. This approach lets the group become involved by allowing ample time for questions and discussion.

The institute offers this popular field trip for $85 and it is usually booked at least a month in advance. I learned from the institute’s director that participants come mostly from the Northwest but it’s not unusual for people from across the United States or from other countries to attend the seminars.

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The bald eagle has always inspired a sense of wonder and awe among humans. American Indians revered the eagle as a source of spiritual strength. They prized its feathers and established elaborate dances and rituals to honor its being.

Over the years, habitat destruction has lowered eagle populations throughout the United States and the eagle is in danger of extinction. But thanks to the efforts of concerned citizen groups and federal and state governments, the decline has, at least, slowed.

Among the groups that have contributed is the Nature Conservancy, which in 1976, along with the Washington Department of Wildlife, established this 1,000-acre bald eagle preserve on the Skagit River near Rockport, about 100 miles north of Seattle. The preserve is scattered among several parcels of land along the swift-flowing, glacier-carved river canyon. Dense stands of large conifer trees cover the steep slopes rising a thousand feet above the river.

The joint effort has led to increased numbers of eagles along the Skagit. And by mid-January, more than 300 converge on the five-mile stretch of river bank now managed to preserve their habitat.

With its eight-hour seminars, the North Cascades Institute, through an agreement with the Skagit River Bald Eagle Natural Area, yearly gives thousands of people the rare opportunity to view, close up, the bird that long ago became our national symbol. The institute hires part-time naturalists, such as Mills, to present the field trips and relies on volunteers to help with census studies and other research in the preserve.

About noon we shivering eagle watchers car-pool to a nearby administration facility for lunch and a slide show. The building has a large wood stove and we huddle close to warm our frosty hands. Clustering around the stove we eat our self-provided sack meals as our leader runs a slide show featuring excellent shots of bald eagles and lectures us on the habitat requirements for the animals, as well as their migration patterns.

After an hour or so we head back to the river canyon. Within minutes of arriving at the river, we’re greeted by the sight of soaring eagles making slow, lazy circles above. Having gorged themselves on Skagit River salmon during the morning hours, the birds now seek the protection of the heavy timber jutting from the steep cliffs adjacent to the river.

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At night, cold air drains down the slopes and gathers in the valley. But temperatures up in the timber can be 15 or more degrees higher than near the river, where the thermometer now, at 1 p.m., hovers just above 40 degrees. And the surrounding, thick foliage provides the eagles with additional protection from icy winds that rush down through the valley.

That same wind now chills us to the bone as we stand, waiting to catch a glimpse of the eagles. Only after stamping our feet and swinging our arms do our toes and fingers regain their flexibility. “Look, in the tree across the river,” whispers the older school teacher. “At least two eagles are feeding on a dead salmon.” Within seconds, camera shutters click with rapid-fire urgency as we rush to capture the regal birds in their natural habitat.

In the waters below, the returning salmon seek out their birth streams, following years at sea, building up fat reserves for their monumental journey. After fighting their way up the swift streams, the exhausted salmon expend their last efforts to lay their eggs. The battered fish then die by the hundreds along this stretch of river. The waiting eagles snag the fish in the water and devour them on the gravel beds at river’s edge.

The annual arrival of the spawning salmon up the Skagit brings hundreds of eagles to feed. It is one of the four largest wintering aggregations of the birds in the continental United States, although eagles also gather at certain places in Idaho and Montana.

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As late afternoon shadows darken the valley, we pile into our cars and head for home. The trip has fulfilled our desire to witness the interaction between eagles and salmon and to understand more about their behavior. We learned the importance of preserving wildlife habitat and gained a better appreciation for this magnificent bird. And the eagles, in turn, put on an impressive display.

GUIDEBOOK

In the Eagles’ Nest

Getting there: Fly nonstop from LAX to Seattle on Alaska, MarkAir, United and Delta. Advance-purchase, non-refundable fares start at $158. From Seattle, drive north on Interstate 5 about 60 miles; exit east on Washington 20 (toward Sedro Woolley), the North Cascade Highway. Drive about 45 miles to Rockport; then continue on about another mile to an area designated by a large sign as the Skagit River Bald Eagle Natural Area.

Booking field trips: For a field-trip schedule or reservations, contact North Cascades Institute, 2105 Highway 20, Sedro Woolley, Wash. 98284; telephone (206) 856-5700.

Where to stay: Accommodations are available in Bellingham, a 60-mile drive from the preserve, and in Anacortes, 45 miles from the preserve.

The Loganita Bed and Breakfast, 2825 W. Shore Drive, Lummi Island 98262 (about 15 miles north of Bellingham); $85-$175 per room, per night; tel. (206) 758-2651.

Best Western Heritage Inn, 151 E. McLeod Road, Bellingham 98226; $64-$74 per person, per night; tel. (800) 528-1234 or (206) 647-1912.

Albatross Bed & Breakfast, 5708 Kingsway West, Anacortes 98221; $75 per room, per night; tel. (206) 293-0677.

Majestic Hotel, 419 Commercial Ave., Anacortes 98221; $89-$177 per room, per night; tel. (206) 293-3355.