It's Almost Eagle Watching Time in The Gorge Again!
Editors Note, January 16, 2024 — The date for the 14th annual watch has been moved from the 20th to the 27th due to inclement weather conditions.
By Cole Goodwin
The Dalles, Ore., December 18, 2023 – January marks the beginning of the bald eagle migration in the Columbia Gorge. This January there will be two events celebrating the Bald Eagle: Wings Over the Columbia Gorge, a free webinar featuring eagle experts on January 4th followed by the 14th annual Eagle Watch at The Dalles Dam on January 27th, featuring live raptor demonstrations, eagle watching, and educational activities.
Wings Over the Columbia Gorge
Friends of the Gorge will host a free webinar titled Wings Over the Columbia Gorge on Thursday, January 4, at 6 p.m. The webinar will focus on the lives of bald eagles, their migratory patterns, and the threats they face.
The webinar will feature Morgan Olson, a raptor care educator at the Columbia Gorge Discovery Center & Museum, Dr. Shawn Smallwood, a wildlife ecologist and Hannah Dinell, a hunting education specialist at the Oregon Zoo.
Live chat will be available during the webinar so attendees can ask questions to our featured speakers.
Register for the webinar by clicking here.
14th Annual Eagle Watch at The Dalles Dam
The Dalles Dam will also host its 14th annual Eagle Watch event, on January 27 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. This event is an opportunity for eagle enthusiasts to observe bald eagles fishing in their natural habitat, enjoy live demonstrations of various raptor species, and participate in educational activities.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers park rangers, in collaboration with partners from the U.S. Forest Service, Rowena Wildlife Clinic, the Columbia Gorge Discovery Center & Museum, and Perch Wildlife Education, will be on hand to answer questions.
The event is free, family-friendly and accessible to visitors with disabilities. Attendees are encouraged to bring their spotting scopes, binoculars, and cameras to get the best view of the eagles. With activities planned both indoors and outdoors, visitors should dress for the weather.
Journalist Side Note: My favorite Eagle Watch Memory
One time a bald eagle flew right over us with a newly caught fish, sprinkling us with river water. The fish was so big and so heavy fish that the eagle was straining a bit and flying quite low overhead. Several of us could feel the wind being displaced by it’s wings, and see, just for a moment, the fish’s wide eyes and still gasping mouth. A few people claimed they could even smell a mixture of fish and wet eagle in the air as it flew overhead.
It was so close, that if any one of us had reached up-we might have just barely, barely, brushed the belly of the fish as it flew by. A few people ducked as it’s shadow went overhead. And once it passed out of sight everyone turned to one another, their eyes full of excitement. It was all anyone talked about for the rest of the day. It was such an incredible, intimate moment with nature that even though it’s been years since then, the memory of it remains crystal clear and vibrant in my mind.
Can’t attend Eagle Watch?
Eagles tend to stick around in the Gorge from January-February, giving you more opportunities to see Bald Eagles in action. The Dalles Dam Visitor Center, located at 3545 Bret Clodfelter Way, The Dalles, OR 97058, will be open every Tuesday to Friday, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. through out the month of January. Staff will be available to assist with spotting scopes, provide bird identification tips, and answer questions. Additionally, the adjacent Seufert Park offers daily access from dawn to dusk for eagle watching.
For learning materials and more information on the The Dalles Dam Eagle Watch, click here.
For more details about the Eagle Watch event or other inquiries, contact The Dalles Lock and Dam Ranger Office at 541-506-8475 or visit their website at www.nwp.usace.army.mil/Eagle-Watch.
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