Hundreds of bald eagles featured on Lake Coeur d'Alene's eagle watching cruises

Описание: Record numbers of bald eagles have migrated to north Idaho this year.

Lake Coeur d'Alene has a special eagle-watching cruise that gives you an up-close look at these magnificent birds, right on the water.

Every year, eagles migrate to north Idaho around mid-November to feed on Kokanee, making it a great time to see them at Wolf Lodge Bay.

"This year has been a really good year of just everything that you'd want to see on the bald eagle tour," said Captain Jeff Terracciano.

When you board one of Lake Coeur d'Alene's eagle watching cruises, you'll see several, if not hundreds of bald eagles. They're everywhere, from lurking in the trees, to swooping down low trying to catch their next meal.

"They are just really pretty and I like the colors," said Cora, who was admiring the eagles.

While you can drive out to shore and see the beautiful birds, the cruise offers something a car cannot: a nice time on the water, hot chocolate, and a two-hour tour of the lake.

"So we'll actually go on the north shore first along Higgins Point, go into Blue Creek and Wolf Lodge. And then we'll shoot over to Beauty Bay and then come along the south edge of that finger in the lake and that's, yeah, that's where you'll see all the bald eagles," Terracciano said.

Captain Jeff Terracciano also gives you clues so you don't miss the birds.

"I get to call out all the birds and, you know, I see a lot of them that kids might not see. So especially those young, juvenile bald eagles, they're just that dark chocolate color and they kind of just blend in with the trees," he said.

It's something the whole family can enjoy, but it can also be educational. One elementary school takes its fifth-graders on the cruise every year.

"It's fantastic. I mean, the excitement, they get more excited about education when we study up until it gives them a purpose. They're focused on it. So it really supports all the things you learn in the classroom," said Michelle Rebecca, a teacher at Seltice Elementary.

Even during slow years, Captain Jeff says they still see about 100 eagles a trip.

The last day to board one of these ships is January 2.

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