Eye in the sky
<p>Higgens Point day use area provides an evergreen backdrop as a bald eagle soars on Wednesday, November 21, 2012.</p>
<p>Photography enthusiasts Larry Krumpelman, of Post Falls, far left, Toni Faust, of Richland, WA, and Mark Planck, of Moscow, far right, take a break from photographing bald eagles Monday in the shadow of Mineral Ridge near the shore of Lake Coeur d’Alene’s Beauty Bay.</p>
COEUR d'ALENE - Eagle numbers are taking off.
The Bureau of Land Management counted 140 of the majestic birds in Wolf Lodge Bay on Lake Coeur d'Alene on Tuesday, compared to 34 counted two weeks ago and 66 last week.
The rise in numbers comes just in time for Eagle Watch Week, which starts Saturday and runs through Wednesday, Dec. 31.
"The end of December is traditionally when we see migrating numbers peak, so through the next few weeks we expect to see the most numbers of them at Wolf Lodge Bay," said Suzanne Endsley, BLM public affairs officer.
Representatives from BLM and the Idaho Department of Fish and Game will be at the Mineral Ridge boat launch parking lot and trailhead on the east side of the lake from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day to answer questions and provide information during the watch week.
Eagle numbers on Lake Coeur d'Alene have been gradually increasing each week.
"They are stopping at Lake Pend Oreille, in particular Bayview, due to the rebounding populations of kokanee salmon in that area," Endsley said, referring to why the number on Lake Coeur d'Alene is down this year. "Bald eagles are opportunistic so they take advantage of where the food source is most plentiful. We are tracking the trend and over the next few years will know whether that will become one of their main stopping points.
"I think we will still break 200 eagles, probably next week."
The BLM does not count the eagles at Bayview.
"For many years, lake trout (on Lake Pend Oreille) kept kokanee numbers at very low levels," said Carrie Hugo of the BLM. "Targeted efforts by (IDFG) to bring kokanee back by removing lake trout have been successful in removing this predator of kokanee and thus each year the numbers of spawning kokanee are increasing."
The eagles are feasting on mature kokanee salmon on the local lakes as the fish are completing their life cycle. Once the local kokanee supply dwindles, the birds in mid-January take flight to the Klamath Basin of Oregon and California, southern Idaho and Utah.
The count on Lake Coeur d'Alene last year reached as high as 217 on Dec. 30 before the numbers started to drop. The highest count was 273, three years ago.
Hugo said she doesn't believe the warm winter has been a factor with the number of eagles arriving.
"I do not believe the mild winter necessarily drives the numbers because the timing is based on the spawn of the kokanee," she said. "However, the early cold snap we had in November may have resulted in them arriving earlier at Lake Pend Oreille because they cannot hunt as well over frozen lakes."
During Eagle Watch Week, spotting scopes will be available for the public.
"It's a great family outing and a tradition for many," Endsley said of the event. "The eagles put on a great show year after year. It never seems to get old. It is always awe-inspiring."
Endsley said hundreds of viewers attend the event, so motorists should be cautious when driving, parking or walking along Highway 97.
"Do not stop in the roadway, either in your car or when walking," she said. "Highway 97 is a busy road and it seems that locals are becoming less and less tolerant of eagle-watchers. The travel way is not restricted. Pedestrians should be respectful of drivers by not walking in the center of the road or using the shoulder to scout for eagles."
In case of severe weather, especially high winds that can prevent setting up equipment, the BLM will have an Eagle Watch hotline (769-5048) available during the week. An update will be recorded after 9 a.m. each day. Should the event be canceled for the day, the BLM will also post a message on the BLM Idaho Twitter account: @BLMIdaho.
For more information about Eagle Watch Week, visit http://blm.gov/g3ld. The webpage contains facts, trends and statistics of the annual eagle migration.
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Eagle Watch Week
The Bureau of Land Management and Department of Fish and Game will host Eagle Watch Week Saturday through Dec. 31 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day at the Mineral Ridge boat launch parking lot and trailhead, on the east side of Lake Coeur d'Alene along Highway 97.