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The big guys like bear and moose seem to get all the press, but it's really the birds that rule Alaska. Bird watching and especially Eagle watching is a great reason to bring along the binoculars and that long telephoto lens. You can make bird spotting part of your vacation or go on an Alaska Eagle or bird watching tour with people who know the best spots and times for sightings.
Alaska teams with Eagles and birds of all types. The arctic regions and southwestern delta region are spots that many species migrate to every year for mating and nesting. It is during the peak of migration periods that the best opportunities for bird watching and eagle watching exist. But these migration periods can be brief so you need to plan your bird watching in advance.
Here are some areas that are popular for bird watching
Just how many species of birds can be found in Alaska? Well if you want to check off all the birds on your Alaska scorecard you better allow plenty of time - there are 445 documented species of birds in Alaska, from Bald Eagles to Loons to swans to Puffins... and a whole lot more.
But visitors to Alaska most often want to see Eagles in the wild. Bald eagles can be found in every state except Hawaii, but the largest concentration is in Alaska.
For people seeking to see bald eagles in large numbers, the greatest concentration occurs in mid October through December on the Chilkat river near Haines. The salmon run attracts three to four thousand bald eagles, which gather along a four mile stretch of the river located in the 48,000 acre Alaska Chilkat Eagle Preserve. There's a concentration of 200,000 to 500,000 chum salmon on the Chilkat late in the year. Even when the salmon aren't running, the Haines area is a good place to see eagles.
Homer is another great spot for eagle watching as is the shores of Admiralty Island. Kayaking along the shores of Prince William Sound is a pretty good bet for eagle watching and spotting. Just look for golf balls in the trees - the white heads of the bald eagles make them visible from a distance.
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