Eagles in Alaska
Remember when it was very rare to see a bald eagle? It still isn’t common but just being out and about we see several every year now. I’ll never forget the first time I saw them up close in the wild.
Scott and I were visiting our friends, Mike and Jan, while vacationing in Alaska. We were planning to drive to Homer Alaska the next day, and they suggested that we stop at Anchor Point - the most westerly point you can drive to in the continental United States without getting on a boat or airplane.
It was a clear sunny day, and as we drove out onto the beach the first thing we noticed was the awesome view of Mount Redoubt. The gorgeous mountain rose above the Cook Inlet and reminded us a bit of home.
We stopped and watched the boats launch into the water and noticed we had some company. There were several eagles on the beach with us. None of them were very close, but I already had my camera out and began to take pictures.
After a few minutes they came closer. They weren’t afraid of us whatsoever. I got out of the car to walk around and get the best shot. One came flying in from down the beach and I got an up-close view of those talons. It made me want to keep my distance! I was happy to use my zoom lens.
They were huge birds! And there were several of them. They weren’t doing anything interesting like fishing, playing, or fighting. They were just hanging out on the beach. I snapped away. Several years later, it’s still the closest I’ve ever been to one.
We had places to be so couldn’t stay long. But what a great detour!