Golden Eagle or Young Bald Eagle?

How can you tell the difference between a Young Bald Eagle or a Golden Eagle?

Ok so I was trying to figure out how we can make this blog a little more interesting in order to get everyone excited about the up coming Alaska vacation season starting in May. As I sat pondering, I decided to write about things that were interesting to me when I began learning about Alaska.

Back to my first question - how can you tell? Bald Eagle or Golden Eagle? I received this picture from Chef Jon Hounsell - the amazing chef for all guests staying at this Alaska fishing lodge. He took this in the Glacier Bay National Park on the beach of Glacier Bay.

Anyway, as I was putting it on our website I realized I had no idea what type of eagle this was, or I thought maybe its some kind of hawk. There were a lot of these "birds" (brown with some white feathers on their wings) around the bald eagles so I thought just maybe, they were young bald eagles and I made the assumption that bald eagles didn't get their white head feathers until they were older. I was intrigued, I then went and researched more and read this about Golden Eagles on the Alaska Game and Fish website:

"Immature Golden Eagles have white wing patches and white at the base of the tail"

So I was like ok....this is a Immature Golden Eagle I am sure of it so I put it on the website labeled it as a Juvenile Golden Eagle. Ok so lets shorten this up, I then came across a pic of a Bald Eagle and so I went and read about them on the Game and Fish site and this is what it said:

The Bald Eagle is so named for its conspicuous white head and tail...Immature birds lack this easily identifiable characteristic and can be confused with the Golden Eagle. The immature Bald Eagle’s unfeathered tarsi (lower legs) and whitish wing linings on the forward part of the wings, can be helpful distinctions where the two species coexist.

Alright after much study from other areas I have concluded that the picture above is a Immature Bald Eagle. Am I right? The main factor is the featherless legs or tarsi, I saw pictures of other Golden Eagles that have feathers all the way down their feet. Has anyone else ever experienced this challenge or even cared remotely about my dilemma? I'd love for you to share pictures or tell me your experiences with Eagles. I hope I am not alone, but most of all...I hope I'm right and this is a Bald Eagle.

So many things to do in Alaska...so much to learn about this untouched land...Amazing!
Thanks for stopping by...

Text in italics provided by Alaska Game and Fish http://www.adfg.state.ak.us/pubs/notebook/bird/eagles.php

Gustavus Alaska Cuisine Gallery

From the tempting smell of freshly baked breads to platters brimming with local delicacies, the Glacier Bay Country Inn offers you an extraordinary dining experience. Our cuisine offers a culinary adventure that you will never forget, and will long to experience again and again. Feast on succulent Alaskan salmon, halibut, and Dungeness crab. Enjoy locally grown vegetables and savor wild berries plucked from the surrounding rainforest. Here at Glacier Bay Alaska we strive to make every aspect of your trip unforgettable, especially the food.

This Gustavus Alaska Restaurant will not disappoint and we promise that your memories will not only be filled with the best alaska fishing, whalewatching, or spactacular glaciers but your stories will also include Southwestern Halibut with sun-dried tomato risotto, English Roased Prime Rib served with yukon potatoes and summer vegetables, Chocolate Truffle Torte with wild raspberry sauce, and the list goes on and on.

We just updated our Photo Gallery to display some of the delicious dishes Chef Jon Hounsell will be offering for the 2009 season. Come visit our site to see some tasty pictures of the Gustavus Alaska Cuisine Gallery.

We can't wait to for this next year's season to begin! Write in the comments section and explain to us some of your favorite dishes or what you would like to see in this years upcoming season at the Glacier Bay Country Inn.

Glacier Bay Alaska at the Glacier Bay Country Inn

Glacier Bay Country Inn is your home-away-from-home, a private escape complete with four-star comforts you wouldn't expect from a glacier bay lodge.

Then again, Glacier Bay Country Inn is no ordinary glacier bay lodge.

The Glacier Bay Country Inn experience is a life adventure that has no equal in the world. Here where you can fish and tour amid unparalleled scenery and solitude, with ample opportunities for rest and relaxation.

The main lodge houses five specially themed guest rooms, with each accommodating either yourself or up to four guests. A large dining room and kitchen comprise the first floor of the lodge, and for guests' entertainment, they offer a "keeping room," library, and game/TV room on the second floor. The lodge offers several hundred videos for your viewing pleasure, or endless opportunities to view Nature outside one of our picture-perfect scenic windows.

They also have five private cabins outside that accommodate up to four guests each and are good for anglers who wish to spread out their fishing gear, kick back on a porch, and take in the evening with talk or debate. Here you can savor the important things in life like camaraderie with new and old friends, reliving memories of past adventures, negotiating future business opportunities, or maybe nothing at all other than to just enjoy being alive.

All rooms and cabins offer first-class maid service. Thick towels, soft quilts and flannel sheets provide the comfort necessary for a good night's rest, preparing you for another day of angling and adventuring, Alaska style!

Your choice of a room or cabin blends security and comfort with a decor that mirrors the many wonders of the Glacier Bay Alaska wilderness. Each day, the staff fine-tunes the comforts of your cabin, so that it's always ready when you need it.

The benefits of these accommodations extend beyond mere shelter. Nestled in the center of 160 acres of remote rain forest, your private cabin or room is a comfortable base for many activities. This lodge is located just 4 miles from the Glacier Bay National Park where you can enjoy activities such as Alaska fishing, kayaking in the bay, whale watching, glacier bay boat cruises, tours of the park, wildlife viewing, and the list goes on and on.

When you return from your adventures a three-course dinner of fresh gourmet Alaska cuisine will be waiting. After dinner you may visit with friends or mingle with a handful of guests from around the world on the outdoor gazebo who are also enjoying their own life adventures. Start to prepare for the evening's entertainment from the comfort of your cabin porch, savor a glass of wine or herbal tea and watch moose graze in a nearby meadow as song birds engage in an evening symphony. Listen closely. These melodies set the mood and prepare you to see the spectacular in the subtle.

In the privacy and charm of these surroundings, push back in your porch chair and bask in the warm orange glow of an Alaska sunset. The flickering shafts of sunbeams soon become a ballet of light, darting and weaving through the pinnacles of towering spruce. Alder leaves twirl in a puff of wind, adding a finale of grace and awe. The exhaling breeze stirs the wind chimes in a final crescendo that signals the end of another memorable day.

It is easy to understand why our guests keep returning to our Glacier Bay lodge. Once here they become one with the land, and this merging is achieved through a simple prescription: we balance adventure and excitement with reflection and contemplation. Glacier Bay Alaska allows you to discover the symbiotic benefits of man integrating with nature, a relationship forgotten long ago when big cities replaced forests. But at Glacier Bay, these benefits are plentiful and free for the taking.

When it's time to turn in to your cabin for the day, the cabin is your private retreat to enjoy by yourself or share with a loved one. There are no noisy guests, loud outboard motors, or rabble rousing from inexperienced camp help. This is time to wander off in your memories of glaciers, fly fishing remote rivers, or anticipate the adventures of tomorrow. The tranquil magic of Glacier Bay will ease you into a restful peace, further lulled by the sound of sandhill cranes migrating south, or the soft melody of rain falling through the spruce rain forest. The down comforter on your bed --the kind you remember when you've been most happy and secure--warms your body into a tingly coziness.

If you close your eyes and think about it, the reason for this comfort is obvious:

These are no ordinary memories and experiences. When you stay at Glacier Bay Country Inn, these events become treasures of the heart that you will cherish for a lifetime.

So go ahead and drift into a dream-filled, restful sleep, your body warm and glowing, satisfied with a happiness of knowing you made the right decision in choosing Glacier Bay Country Inn for your Alaska vacation.

Glacier Bay Country Inn rates will be increasing for 2009

Unfortunately our rates for the 2009 season will be increasing. The good news is that if you book your trip before November 30th of 2008 you can still get the 2008 rates for any 2009 trip. If you act now you can avoid the increase. We wish we could be decreasing our rates but with the rising cost of commodities we are forced to increase our rates for 2009. Please contact us with any questions by calling (800) 628-0912 or by visiting our website Glacier Bay Alaska .

-Glacier Bay Country Inn

Glacier Bay Country Inn's New Blog

Visit here to get latest news and articles about whats happening at the Glacier Bay Country Inn at Glacier Bay National Park.

Glacier Bay Country Inn is located just four miles from the quiet community of Gustavus Alaska which is the gateway to Glacier Bay National Park and had been voted by many as an amazing Alaska Fishing Lodge.