Eagles in the Deep

The bald eagles of Deep Creek, Alaska

By Steven Yan

July 2^nd, 2019

Where there's Fish...

The sleepy town of Ninilchik sits on the western coast of the beautiful Kenai Peninsula. Here, heavy tractors launch fishing boats into the Cook Inlet along Deep Creek.

Do you see the eagles hanging out on the beach in the foreground?

Where there's fish in Alaska, you'll find eagles. Lots of eagles.

This is about as close as I could get to the eagles. One more step and they would scatter.

Death From Above

In the morning, the eagles, both adult and juvenile, feast along the beach on fish trapped by the outgoing tide. At least, while they're not getting harassed by the gulls for scraps.

The end result is a macabre, piscine graveyard of pristinely flesh-barren fish carcasses.

Chicken or Eagle?

For this Californian, I'd never seen bald eagles up close before. The longer I stared at them, the more surprised I was at how small and meek they look at rest.

Ten seconds later, they would spread their wings, take flight, and get the fiercest, most badass look of determination in their eyes.

High and Fast

In the late afternoon, the eagles soar high and fast on the coastal breeze. Capturing them on camera requires a lot of concentration, a lot of luck, and a lot of memory cards.

Yikes! If you're prey, this might be the last view you ever see.

Some things are pretty consistent in the animal kingdom.

The juveniles play in tight formation, flipping and twirling at breakneck speeds in the breeze. All the while, some adults were at work, collecting more material for their nests.