Dive bombing Eagles

Today was my day to work on my own project away from the bears. It is my last day at Brooks Camp, this afternoon I fly back to King Salmon for a few days off and a couple days in the office. I decided that I would try to look for some of the eagle nests that we saw from the air and see if any eaglets had appeared.

According to the maps drawn up after the first run of eagle surveys, there should be four active nests on the borders of Lake Brooks, the lake my cabin is on. So before lunch I decided to walk the southern part of the beach and look for the nest in that direction and after lunch I would head up the northern part of the beach and see what I could see there.

The walk on the beach was great. The sun was shining and it was a welcome sight as the last couple of days were rain filled. I saw a set of large bear tracks heading in the opposite direction. The bear had to pass by the cabin shortly before I had begun my hike. I also saw tracks from a river otter on the shore. I had hiked more than a mile when I finallly spotted the first nest. I saw the male sitting on a tree next to the nest tree keeping his beady eyes upon me. I also saw the female peek over the top of the nest. I stopped where I was as I didn't want to get to close to the nest to scare away the parents. I watched the nest for a few minutes to see if an eaglet would poke his head out but I saw no signs of one. With that nest found I headed back to the cabin.

After lunch I started hiking north. I had hiked quite a ways with no signs of an eagles nest. Up ahead I started to hear the sounds of an upset magpie. As I got closer I wondered if I was the problem or if there was someting else near the magpie that was causing the distress. I slowly moved clser keeping my eyes peeled for anything to be moving. A second magpie appeared and both birds were wildly chirping away at me. I figured that I had come across their nest and they were letting me know that I was not welcomed. I stopped in front of the first magpie looking for their nest in hopes I would get to see some chicks. Unfortuately, I could find no nest. The magpies, suddenly hopped into the woods. They did not fly off, just hopped and disappeared. I did not here another sound from them. This highly unusual behavior for magpies. Then I heard what sounded like wierd footsteps coming through the trees. Only it wasn't footsteps but the sound of flapping wings coming thru the trees straight at me. It was a male eagle. He broke though the trees and passed just inches above my head and then soared into the sky and back into the woods. I realized that I was very close to the nest and it was time for me to leave. I walked back the way I had come and let the eagle family have their peace. I am not sure what happened to the magpies.