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The Eyes Have It


They are a stunning sight! Our national bird is huge, and dominates its environment. I saw my first one at Silver Lake, at the Carson Pass in California on an October morning, with a great stand of aspens aflame in Fall finery in the background*. I was excited at the prospect of relocating to my current home where there is no shortage of Bald Eagles. We have several mated pairs in residence at our little beach town, and it still surprises me to be walking the shore and spot one surveying his domain from atop some flotsam or driftwood. Did you know...

  • Eagles can fly up to 30 m.p.h. and can dive at speeds up to 100 m.p.h.

  • Bald eagles develop the characteristic white head and tail feathers by 4-6 years of age

  • Fledgling eagles learn to fly at three months of age

  • Eagles live can 30 years or more in the wild

  • Male bald eagles are smaller than females

  • Eagles mate for life and return to same nesting territory year after year.

* If you really want to get away from it all, check out the Kit Carson Lodge at Silver Lake, south of Lake Tahoe (not far from Kirkwood Ski Resort). We'd get a little cabin with a nice deck overlooking the lake. It is the least populated county in California, so it's a perfect way to get away from it all. We'd go on Columbus Indigenous Peoples Weekend to catch the spectacular Fall Colors display in the Hope Valley nearby. If you're up for an extended drive, we usually headed east across the state line and took in the vistas of the eastern Sierras heading up to Carson City. As a foodie, I was astonished to discover that the small restaurant at the lodge serves extraordinary food, so although you're roughing it, you're not depriving yourself of creature comforts. (Although if I remember correctly, you are asked not to use hair dryers because it would trip a circuit breaker.) I'm a connoisseur of fine hotels, and although it's not 5 stars, the Kit Carson Lodge is one of my all-time faves, the keeper of some joyous memories: my first Bald Eagles and spectacular Fall Colors!



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