The organizer of the Alaska Bald Eagle Festival said she was “very pleased” with the 21st event, despite glitches that included a last-minute loss of town taxi service and run-ins with anglers in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve.
Cheryl McRoberts, executive director of the American Bald Eagle Foundation, said a heavy snowfall and successful fundraising during the festival’s annual banquet were among highlights. She said 162 people attended the festival.
“Snow is much better than rain for photographers. It makes a much better backdrop for pictures of eagles than mud,” McRoberts said.
Wintry weather also made an impression on visitors, she said. “Quite a few people asked me where the realtor was. One person said it was like Little Switzerland.”
Although numbers were down at the festival auction, bidding was brisk, raising almost $15,000 for the foundation, she said. “Folks were very generous in their bidding.” Auction items included tour packages to Juneau and Whitehorse.
The festival’s annual eagle release was done differently this year, with release of a rehabilitated bird on both Saturday and Sunday.
Sunday’s second release was unplanned, as one of two eagles planned for release Saturday balked at leaving its mew downtown. Holding the release on Sunday allowed festival organizers to auction off the release at the festival banquet Saturday night. “That really seemed to work out. There were different people out on Sunday. So we’ll do that again.”
The eagles had been nursed back to health after collisions with cars in Kodiak and Anchorage. “They’d been stunned and had some broken feathers, but the feathers molted and grew back and they were ready to go.”
At Saturday’s release, the freed eagle skidded out of its kennel and landed in the water before flying off about a half-hour later. Mishaps during release aren’t completely unexpected, as birds have spent several days in close quarters before release. All eagles are flight-tested, McRoberts said.
Conflicts are still arising between anglers and eagle-watchers near pull-outs in the eagle preserve, she said. Fishermen dispersed eagles, causing them to fly to the river’s far side, away from photographers, she said. Warmer-than-usual temperatures also caused eagles to be more dispersed.
Run-ins between sport fishermen and photographers in previous years have led to shouting matches.
McRoberts said the foundation isn’t planning any major changes to the festival, but would like to bring more mending military veterans to the event.