Bald Eagle

Alaska, USA

With each passing day, the cold deepens in the late autumn of Southeast Alaska. The Chilkat River near Haines had drawn a gathering of bald eagles. While the surrounding rivers have already frozen over, this one remains slow to ice, offering them the chance to catch live salmon. Eagles perch in succession in the trees along the riverbank, their gaze fixed on the water’s surface, where a dorsal fin occasionally breaks through.

I wait for them in the darkness, before dawn, for when they begin their hunt with first light. But the morning cold is severe, with temperatures falling below minus 20 degrees Celsius. Even with full down gear to withstand the cold, remaining still causes a chill to sink deep into my body.

In the shallows, where the fishing is best, the eagles clash fiercely. Adult and juvenile eagle alike attempt to snatch each other’s catch, striking with their talons - sometimes even forcing their rivals beneath the water. Some end up wounded, their injuries drawing blood. Once the river freezes over, the salmon carcasses washed ashore become a vital source of food - but even then, the fighting does not cease.

Compared to the abundance of spring and summer, winter is a season of true hardship - one where survival is at stake. The scraps left behind by the bald eagles are eaten by wild birds and small animals, and the remnants nourish the forest floor. This fosters rich forests and riparian woodlands, creating habitats for the wildlife, and as the river flows onward, it nurtures the bountiful sea.

What I’m witnessing now is merely a single moment in the vast cycle of nature. Looking closely at the bald eagles, I notice that each one has a distinct face. Yet they their overall appearance is almost philosophical - perhaps a testament to the harsh seasons they’ve endured. They are brimming with a resilient, vigorous strength to survive this very moment.