Counting eagles

COEUR d’ALENE — The most recent bald eagle count on Lake Coeur d'Alene by the Bureau of Land Management recorded 108 for the week of Nov. 26.

That was well up from 16 on Nov. 10 and 76 on Nov. 18.

However, compared to year's past, those are low numbers. The weekly count found 259 bald eagles around Lake Coeur d'Alene on Dec. 2, 2019 and 343 on Nov. 29 2018.

Local photographer Paul Webster wrote in an email to The Press that "The eagles have arrived but not in the numbers we want or are used to. It seems as the weather is unseasonably warmer than usual, another factor is the seagulls are all over the place as the fish are small and easy to swallow whole.

"There are an abundance of fish so the eagle fighting activity is extremely lower than usual due to a ton of fish," he wrote.

The Bureau of Land Management has started the weekly bald eagle counts at on.doi.gov/3FXL6Tf.

Weekly counts are conducted by a wildlife biologist along a set route and will continue through early January.

The eagles come to feed on spawning kokanee and often put on aerial shows as they swoop down to snag a fish from the surface of Lake Coeur d'Alene.

Lake Coeur d'Alene Cruises is offering eagle-watching cruises that will continue until just after the New Year.

Higgens Point, Blue Creek Bay picnic area, Mineral Ridge Boat Ramp and Mineral Ridge Trailhead are great places to watch eagles.

The eagles are generally most active in early to mid-morning and then late afternoon.