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Bald
Eagle Viewing
at the Klamath Basin Refuges |
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| In a time when the
majority of United States citizens have never even seen their national symbol, a day of
eagle watching in the beautiful Klamath Basin may become a highlight of anyone’s
winter season. |
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Just as sure as the leaves fall and ice begins to coat
basin wetlands, they will arrive. Each year during the month of November, bald eagles
begin to appear en masse on their Klamath Basin wintering grounds. Having traveled
from as far away as Northwest Territories in Canada and Glacier National Park, these birds
quickly settle into a daily routine of waterfowl scavenging throughout the Basin’s
marshes by day and locating sheltered roosts at night. The best viewing occurs during
January and February when numbers may peak at over 500 birds. During this time, an
observant visitor should be able to easily spot dozens of these majestic raptors along the
Tule Lake and Lower Klamath auto tours. It is not uncommon to see over 50 eagles from one
spot! |
| Why expend the energy to fly from Canada to our area?
The main attraction of the Klamath Basin to these eagles is the extensive marshes with
their abundant wintering waterfowl. Winter is a tough time to be a duck in the Klamath
Basin. With injuries, weakness, and diseases such as avian cholera (see article on page
5) claiming many waterfowl, the table is set for the eagles. It is easy to catch a
dead duck or goose, and the eagles make quick work of them. Feathers fly as the eagles
pluck their prey on the spot. Watch for large numbers of eagles standing on the ice
surrounding the remaining open water areas. |
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| After consuming their fill of waterfowl, most eagles
will leave the valley bottoms by late afternoon and head to sheltering night roosts. These
roosts are invariably timbered with large, open-crowned conifers, providing easy landings
and takeoffs. Located on northeast facing slopes, night roosts protect the eagles from
prevailing winter winds. The most important roost was protected in 1982 as Bear Valley
National Wildlife Refuge. In reality this refuge is not a valley, but an old-growth
forested hillside west of hwy 97 near Worden, Oregon. Bear Valley NWR is closed to public access and the land surrounding it is privately owned. In addition the roads leading to Bear Valley NWR are privately owned and have restricted access. |
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Bear Valley Refuge
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The road commonly used in the past for the Bald Eagle Flyout is a private road and those who travel it without permission are trespassing onto private land. Don't despair! Visitors who travel a long distance to view Bald Eagles there is good news! Bald Eales are commonly seen in large numbers at various locations around Lower Klamath and Tule Lake Refuges. Visitors are encourged to stop at the Refuge Visitor Center located at 4009 Hill Road, Tulelake, CA to get more information of where Eagles have been seen. |
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