[CLICK IMAGE FOR FULL PICTURE] Joe Ordonez captured this early snowfall at Rainy Lake, up on the summit of the North Cascades Highway. Snowfall in the mountains means that winter is approaching. Winter typically brings the bald eagles to the Skagit and Nooksack Rivers to feed on the late salmon runs. Photo Copyright: Joe Ordonez
Fog Bow
Fog bow along the upper Skagit River. Photo credit Joe Ordonez.
Fog held on last Sunday in the lowlands of Puget Sound but lifted up here at our Interpretive Center in Rockport. We enjoyed a beautiful sunny day. As they fog lifted, a “fog bow” appeared during the first nature walk of the day. Fogbows are also called “white rainbows.” They are similar to rainbows, but appear when the sun shines through very small water droplets, like those found in fog.
We had our best participation of the year, with great turnout for all our nature walks. There are two days left, January 29th and 30th. where you can join one of our free nature walks. These interpretive walks last about two hours and depart at 11am and 1:30pm. Bring shoes that can handle mud, snow and puddles. There is no need to sign up in advance.
1/12/2022 Update
It was a beautiful and action-packed weekend up at the Skagit River Interpretive Center. There was snow on the trail and beautiful sunshine. In addition to bald eagles (whose numbers are lower this year than year’s past) we saw lots of wildlife. A real treat was seeing a harbor seal in the Skagit River at the confluence with the Sauk River. This is a good sign, since harbor seals only travel great distances inland into fresh water when there are salmon to eat. The winter chum salmon run brings the bald eagles, so we hope that eagle numbers will continue to climb as the salmon work their way upstream.
The afternoon walk was treated to some excellent views of a Northern Pygmy Owl. Joe Ordonez, Education Coordinator, trained our spotting scope on the owl and everyone in the group was able to see the owl clearly. Later, a Great blue heron landed in the wetland section of the trail. Some in the group spotted an American kestrel sitting on top of an old, dead snag feeding on a small songbird.
Nature walks continue on weekends through the end of January. All our walks are scheduled for 11:00am and 1:30pm. As always, there is no need to sign up in advance. Be sure to bring shoes for the conditions, which may include areas of mud, or snow or puddles.
Bald Eagle Nest
Tanner Hons, 14 months old, checks out the bald eagle nest at the Skagit River Interpretive Center. Jan 2, 2022. Photo by Joe Ordonez.
The Skagit River Bald Eagle Awareness Team (SRBEAT) is the 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that operates the Interpretive Center.
The Skagit River Bald Eagle Interpretive Center at Howard Miller Steelhead Park, Rockport, WA offers opportunities to better understand the Skagit River ecosystem with an emphasis on the winter migration of bald eagles, salmon, and the vital role each play in our environment. Each weekend in December and January we offer Guided Nature Hikes along the scenic Skagit River and a Speaker Series. Our educational programs include a K-12 & Home School Program and Community Group Tours.
Wind: 6mph W
Humidity: 40%
Pressure: 29.95"Hg
UV index: 2
84/52°F
82/52°F
Now Seeking Board Members
Serve the community and support environmental education by joining our team! For more info contact, srbeatic@frontier.com, 360-853-7626.
Donate Online or By Mail
We cannot fly without you. Join us in our mission of environmental education and conservation. Click here to make a donation today.
Nature Store
Shop at our revamped Nature Store. Local artisans featured – every purchase benefits the artist and us!
Nonprofit
We are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that does not receive any government funding. We depend on volunteers and donations to stay in business.