topic Re: American Christmas Tree in Community Chat

American Christmas Tree

Foxxee — Mon, 20 Dec 2021 13:31:16 GMT

Re: American Christmas Tree

KingstonsMom — Mon, 20 Dec 2021 13:11:05 GMT

@Foxxee

Awesome photo! Thank you!

Re: American Christmas Tree

Group 5 minus 1 — Mon, 20 Dec 2021 13:31:12 GMT

Daddy would have loved it!

Re: American Christmas Tree

Oznell — Mon, 20 Dec 2021 13:44:10 GMT

Wow-- stunning image, @Foxxee !

Re: American Christmas Tree

MorningLover — Mon, 20 Dec 2021 14:00:10 GMT

Incredible display of magnificent bald eagles all on one magnificent tree!

In the winter, bald eagles often gather at communal roosts where they perch overnight and sometimes during the day when the weather is bad. Communal roosts are usually in large living or dead trees that are relatively sheltered from wind and generally near sources of food. Many roost sites are used year after year and are thought to serve a social purpose for pair bonding and communication among eagles.

~ U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Re: American Christmas Tree

catter70 — Mon, 20 Dec 2021 15:36:49 GMT

I've seen some very pretty trees posted here, but this one takes the cake.

Re: American Christmas Tree

mspatmac — Mon, 20 Dec 2021 16:41:17 GMT

Amazing, thanks for sharing

Re: American Christmas Tree

Patriot3 — Mon, 20 Dec 2021 16:57:50 GMT

Love it!!

Re: American Christmas Tree

Kachina624 — Mon, 20 Dec 2021 18:50:25 GMT

@Foxxee I saw that striking picture on Facebook. My sister and I both looked and looked for it and could never find it again. The joy of Facebook. I'm glad you posted it so I could re-enjoy it.

Re: American Christmas Tree

Foxxee — Mon, 20 Dec 2021 21:21:49 GMT

@Kachina624 wrote:
@Foxxee I saw that striking picture on Facebook. My sister and I both looked and looked for it and could never find it again. The joy of Facebook. I'm glad you posted it so I could re-enjoy it.

@Kachina624

That's interesting. It was posted by an American Indian using the nickname Grey Wolf on another social media website. He posts a lot of nature photos.

I never saw it before, but it probably has made its rounds on social media.

Re: American Christmas Tree

Kachina624 — Mon, 20 Dec 2021 21:27:43 GMT

@Foxxee I bet it was taken in Haines, Alaska. It's a great winter gathering place for eagles. You often see pictures of large groups but they usually don't arrange themselves so artfully.

Re: American Christmas Tree

Boomernichols — Mon, 20 Dec 2021 22:20:41 GMT

@Foxxee Glory, glory this is an awesome picture! I have never seen so many in one area before.

Re: American Christmas Tree

Enufstuff — Mon, 20 Dec 2021 22:39:40 GMT

@Foxxee

How cool is that?

Re: American Christmas Tree

just bee — Mon, 20 Dec 2021 22:57:23 GMT

I saw something similar here in Albuquerque except the "ornaments" were turkey vultures and the tree was a cottonwood.

Re: American Christmas Tree

just bee — Mon, 20 Dec 2021 23:00:59 GMT

Except that the turkey vultures were real.

Re: American Christmas Tree

qvcfreak — Mon, 20 Dec 2021 23:54:48 GMT

I was expecting a Patriotic tree with flags and red white and blue ornaments and you blew me away @Foxxee

Re: American Christmas Tree

just bee — Tue, 21 Dec 2021 00:16:21 GMT

Eagles weigh anywhere from 8 to 18 pounds. Sometimes more. These do not appear to weigh down the branches of the tree.

Just sayin'.

Re: American Christmas Tree

faeriemoon — Tue, 21 Dec 2021 00:28:30 GMT

Is that real? It doesn't look real to me. The branches would be sagging where the eagles are perched.

Re: American Christmas Tree

Kachina624 — Tue, 21 Dec 2021 00:51:09 GMT

The foliage is so dense, you can't even see the branches, let alone see if they're sagging. That looks just like the blue spruce tree in my front yard which has thick heavy branches I could easily stand on.

Re: American Christmas Tree

Kachina624 — Tue, 21 Dec 2021 00:59:35 GMT

CHILKAT BALD EAGLE PRESERVE

Driving north on the Haines Highway you will be entering the 48,000 acres of the Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve starting at 8 mile and continuing to 31 mile. Pull-outs and a 2-mile riverside trail are established for optimum viewing of wildlife and our winged friends. Created in 1982 to protect one of the world’s largest concentrations of bald eagles and their critical habitat along with sustaining and protecting the salmon runs in the Chilkat River. To further highlight the Haines Highway the state of Alaska recognized that portion as a state scenic byway in 1998 then it became a national scenic byway in 2009. Fishermen will gather at the Chilkat River in the fall hoping to fill their coolers with their subsistence fall catch of salmon.

Haines is known as “The Valley of the Eagles.” Year-round resident eagles total approximately 400 but the population rises to over 3,500 in the months of October through December when a late run of chum salmon in the Chilkat River produces a feast for these magnificent raptors. This natural occurrence is highlighted each November with the Alaska Bald Eagle Festival which is put on by the Eagle Foundation, featuring guided eagle viewing, educational tours, programs, and photo workshops for all ages.