Chilkat Eagles Trip Report 2023 - Tom Bol Photo Workshops

The Chilkat Eagle Preserve near Haines, Alaska has the largest gathering of bald eagles in the world. More than 3000 eagles come together to feed on a late Chum Salmon run in the Chilkat River. We photograph natural eagle behavior in a beautiful location on this workshop.

Chillkat is a great destination to capture eagles in flight. Eagles fly down the river corridor looking to steal salmon from other eagles. At the end of the day, the light on the river can reflect golden hues if the sun is out. It makes the perfect background for flying eagles.

With 3000 eagles on the preserve, there are bound to be disputes over salmon. Our groups focused on eagles feeding near the shore, and waited for others to fly in and attempt to steal their catch. This made for some very exciting action sequences.

Not only is this the largest gathering of eagles, it is also the most scenic. Beautiful 6000 ft, snow capped peaks surround the eagle preserve and add a stunning backdrop to eagles in flight. Yes, those are glaciers on the mountains.