Low clouds hampers eagle counts on northeast end of Lake Cd'A

Eagle watching along the northern shores of Lake Coeur d’Alene at Wolf Lodge Bay is picking up, although recent counts by biologists don’t show it.

The counts for this week, 223 total including 195 adults and 28 juveniles, were hampered by fog and low visibility.

Last year’s count during the same period was 367 birds.

The counts are provided each week by Bureau of Land Management biologists during the eagle’s late season migration to the lake to feed on spawning kokanee salmon.

Each winter for several months between November through February eagles visit the area to feed on spawning fish. And for one week during the timeframe — it’s from Dec. 27 to Dec. 31 this year — the bureau sponsors an Eagle Watch Week, which includes spotting scope sites for the public to watch birds, interpretive information and eagle ambassadors to engage the public, answer questions, and provide insights.

The BLM began counting bald eagles around Wolf Lodge Bay in 1974 and counts vary each year.

Two years ago in early December, biologists counted 323 adults and 49 immature eagles, and three years ago BLM staffers counted 166 adults and 47 juveniles.

In the winter months of 2015 and 2016, a miserable year for Lake Coeur d’Alene eagles, biologists counted 18 birds in early December. Most of the birds congregated at Lake Pend Oreille that year as kokanee populations there burgeoned.

So far this year, counts are pretty normal, with the exception of this week.

Visibility across the lake was difficult because of low-hanging clouds and sun coming through them, said Suzanne Endsley, public affairs officer for the BLM in Coeur d’Alene.The best viewing areas include Higgens Point, the Mineral Ridge boat ramp and Mineral Ridge trailhead on Highway 97 about 11 miles east of Coeur d’Alene.