When the eagle flies ...

OEUR d'ALENE - Joshua Thompson almost gave up on watching to see if "his" eagle would take flight over Lake Coeur d'Alene to snatch a kokanee salmon.

The 6-year-old Coeur d'Alene boy was getting cold on Saturday and started to think he saw enough of the bird perched in the tree at Higgens Point.

That's when the eagle went out to dinner and amazed Joshua.

"Wow," the excited boy yelled to his mother Teresa. "That was cool. Did you see that?"

The eagles have landed in the Coeur d'Alene area this year - about two weeks ahead of when they normally arrive.

And there's more of them.

During an eagle cruise honoring veterans on Saturday, Carrie Hugo, Bureau of Land Management wildlife biologist, counted 54 eagles compared to 12 on Nov. 22 last year. On Tuesday last week Hugo counted 64 eagles in her first count of the season.

On Tuesday this week 100 eagles were counted, compared to 76 the same day last year. Only one was spotted at Higgens Point, but there were 14 along the road between Boothe Park and Higgens Point. Nineteen were along Mineral Ridge and 32 across the lake on the south shoreline. Beauty Bay and Beauty Creek had 21.

"There's a lot more early on," Hugo said. "Part of it is the adults we saw last year bred last year, so there was been a population growth.

"Every year the number has gone up, and my guess is that it will go up again."

Another factor that brought the birds early, Hugo believes, is the number of adult kokanee spawning in the lake has risen dramatically in recent years.

"That's a reliable food source," Hugo said.

The eagles fly in from British Columbia, so if there's inclement weather north, that can also send the birds flying south early, Hugo said.

Hugo said in some years there's been concerns whether vets and their families on the cruises would see any eagles in November, but that wasn't the case this year.

Joe Hunt, a Navy and Coast Guard veteran from Colville, Wash., and his wife Debby were among those who enjoyed the majestic birds. It was their first eagle cruise on Lake Coeur d'Alene.

"It was a beautiful, enjoyable experience," Debby said. "We even saw a couple of them dive down."

Teresa Thompson was also impressed.

"I never realized their wingspan extended so far out," she said. "It's truly amazing to watch. I can see why people lug their huge cameras out here."

Eagle numbers generally peak around Christmas and dwindle in mid-January as kokanee spawning ends.

"They should stay as long as there's a good food source," Hugo said.

Last year's high count was 273 on Dec. 23.

The eagles can also be seen in areas such as Beauty Bay, Blue Creek Bay, Arrow Point and at the Mineral Ridge boat launch. Some of the birds tend to flee Higgens Point as more viewers come out, Hugo said.

There was one vehicle at Higgens Point last week on Tuesday when she counted 64 eagles, but when the parking lot was more than half full with watchers on Saturday there were only four perched.

While Higgens has easy access with ample parking and trails, Blue Creek Bay, which has a BLM day-use area, can be a more desirable spot on a windy day.

The best times to watch can be at daylight around 7:30 a.m. and 3 p.m. before the sun sets. That's the most common times when eagles take flight over the water searching for kokanee.

"It's a great opportunity to bring the family out," said Suzanne Endsley, BLM public affairs officer, adding that drivers should use extreme caution as eagle watchers can be distracted.

Hugo said some people will never see an eagle in their lifetime, which should make locals appreciate what they have in their back yard even more.

"The nice thing about eagles is that you don't have to see many to be impressed," she said.

Eagle Watch Week

The Bureau of Land Management and the Idaho Department of Fish and Game will hold the free Eagle Watch Week on Lake Coeur d'Alene Dec. 26-30. Viewing areas will be set up at the Mineral Ridge Trailhead (Beauty Bay) and at the Mineral Ridge boat launch from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. There will be spotting scopes, canopies in case of rain, mounted eagles, brochures and agency representatives on hand to answer questions. Drivers are urged to use extreme caution as viewers can be distracted.