Eagle viewing not limited to Lake Coeur d’Alene

The northeastern shore of Lake Coeur d’Alene has the biggest and best-known congregation of bald eagles in the region. But it isn’t the only place to see the big birds.

Just about any big body of water draws at least a few of the birds, as winter fishermen at Lake Roosevelt or anyone who has a cabin on Lake Pend Oreille or the Pend Oreille River can attest.

At the southern end of Lake Coeur d’Alene, eagles make a yearly appearance in limited numbers at Heyburn State Park. Park officials say watchers can find them this time of year at Rocky Point, just inside the park entrance.

Washington’s Northrup Canyon State Park, off Banks Lake near Grand Coulee, is another great spot, said Randy Hill, a biologist at the Columbia National Wildlife Refuge.

Hill said the best time is about 2:30 p.m. as the eagles leave nearby lakes and come to the canyon to roost.

Howard Ferguson, district wildlife biologist for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, said just below Long Lake Dam on the Spokane River is another reliable eagle-viewing spot. “Sometimes you’ll get a lot of eagles out there,” Ferguson said.

Often there are eagles, as well, at Little Falls Dam, farther west on the river.

Some eagles are year-round residents, while others winter here from places like Alberta and Yellowstone National Park, Ferguson said.

While out and about, Ferguson suggests looking for other winter visitors, like rough-legged hawks and the occasional snowy owl. Both species, along with prairie falcons and red-tailed hawks, can sometimes be seen along U.S. Highway 2 between Reardan and Davenport.