Subject: Golden Eagles Again
Date: Sep 24 13:42:26 1999
From: Steven Kimball - sdkimball at earthlink.net


Last Friday I reported seeing a Golden Eagle soaring over Mt. Townsend.
Well yesterday I doubled my good fortune by seeing two of them at the
trailhead to Lake Christine and Mt. Beljica in the Glacier View Wilderness
just west of Mt. Rainier National Park.

I had just returned to my car after my hike to Goat Lake when I heard this
loud Kiyuu Kiyuu sound from behind a stand of hemlock. Suddenly, an
immature Golden flew by not more than 30 yards from me. He was unmistakable
with his white wing patches and white on his tale.

I grabbed my binocs out of the car and watched as he flew up to a mountain
top where he was met an adult bird. The two of them circled for a while,
the younger bird continuing to emit his striking call. I suspect that there
was a nest near by but I could not locate it. Soon the fog rolled in and I
lost sight of the birds.

It was the capstone to a great day. Earlier, I had had a good hike with
only minimal rainfall, and, while eating lunch at Goat Lake, I had met group
of about 9 women hikers ranging in age from mid-60's to 86. Some of them
had been hiking together for nearly 30 years. They still hike on a weekly
basis and were so full of energy and bright good spirits that one hardly
noticed the lack of sun. Left me with a smile for the rest of the day.

Steve Kimball
skimball at halcyon.com
Federal Way, WA