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 Linda Thomas
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Linda is the morning news anchor and features reporter for KIRO Radio. This is her local news blog, with an emphasis on social media, technology, Northwest companies, education, parenting, and anything else that grabs her attention.

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Eagle.jpg
A wildlife photographer captures pictures of a rare spotted bald eagle. We don't see many eagles like that because leucistic birds - those with a mutation that prevents melanin from being produced - are at a disadvantage. (Photo by Traci Walter)

Rare spotted bald eagle photographed near Bellingham

January 13, 2013 @ 3:19 pm (Updated: 3:46 pm - 1/13/13 )

A San Juan Island photographer saw something last week she will "never forget" near Bellingham.

Thanks to her skill we can see something rare - a spotted bald eagle.

Photographers Chris Teren and Traci Walter snapped shots of eagles feeding on the Nooksack River.

Walter described the photograph she took to National Geographic.

"It was chaotic, with eagles flying and calling everywhere, then in came this eagle. It didn't take me long to figure out what we saw was something very special," she says.

"I was so excited, but I contained myself and focused on this eagle, and wound up with some great shots. I have seen a couple leucistic animals before, and figured that's what was going on."

Leucism is a mutation that prevents melanin, or pigment, from being produced in parts of an animal's body. In the case of birds, the pigment is absent from some feathers.

We don't see many eagles like that because leucistic birds are at a disadvantage. Unless they live in snowy regions, their striking white color may be more noticeable to predators or prey and may also turn off members of their own species.

Find more of Walter's amazing shots of this eagle on her website Traci Walter Photography.

On the subject of birds. It's sad to see the Seahawks lose to the Falcons, but thanks for a great season for Seattle football fans. By LINDA THOMAS

More from Linda Thomas

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Comments (15)


  • Add A Comment

  • Country_Dog wrote...
    Sorry Bellingham
    January 14, 2013 6:08 am
    But now we have to take away all of your property rights.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • wheresjane wrote...
    So beautiful
    January 14, 2013 7:09 am
    Thank you for sharing.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • pullyourheadout wrote...
    Rare?? This is just a normal young adult
    January 14, 2013 9:06 am
    Anyone that knows anything about Bald Eagles knows that juvenile Bald Eagles are spotted. This looks like it is just a young adult that hasn't shed all of its spotting yet.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • TheNewsChick wrote...
    Not a young eagle
    January 14, 2013 11:15 am
    Bald eagles on the cusp of adulthood have similar mottled feathers, but in this case, the bird has the telltale golden eyes and beak of an adult according to wildlife experts who have studied the photos.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • It's me! Ha ha! wrote...
    Yea.
    January 14, 2013 12:07 pm
    That Eagle is still a juvenile. A fledgling!

    Where I live I see Eagles almost everyday!

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Cougsfan34 wrote...
    hmm
    January 14, 2013 1:48 pm
    Kinda boring. Apperently you don't live near North Bend or fish on Lake Washington.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • dicknleah wrote...
    Not a juvenile
    January 14, 2013 2:25 pm
    Juveniles do have spotted undersides but this one is clearly an adult. Juveniles have dark plumage for 5 years before the head and tail turn pure white and the beak and eyes turn gold.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • TheNewsChick wrote...
    Cougsfan34
    January 14, 2013 5:43 pm
    Living in the city I've never seen an eagle here. There are days - today's one of them - when I do wish I lived in a rural area.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • lynnie wrote...
    newschick
    January 14, 2013 8:05 pm
    Linda - really, you have not seen bald eagles in the city? You have said you live in Ballard? You need to get out in your 'hood more and look skyward perhaps! I live in Ballard and I see them on a regular basis. Green Lake has a pair - I think they nest somewhere in Lower Woodland. Lake Washington has some - remember the male who used to perch over 520 until he got hit by a bus? Also, Disco Park may still have a breeding pair. Go out and check it out :-) They are getting better at dealing with us invasive humans.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • HPD 5-0 wrote...
    A rare spotted bald eagle!!!
    January 14, 2013 2:54 pm
    Wow...they are almost as rare as as Liberal that can do math and a Dimocrat who can balance a budget.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • fartforce1 wrote...
    Wow HPD, did you think of that all by yourself?
    January 14, 2013 3:09 pm
    or did a liberal teacher or a Democrat librarian help you?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • HPD 5-0 wrote...
    Fatforce 0...the truth hurts...
    January 14, 2013 4:44 pm
    doesn't it...
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • gminor69er wrote...
    is this rare too
    January 14, 2013 5:33 pm
    i took a photo last week of an adult crow that has white tail feathers and white wing tips and full white feathers under his wings, i shot video of him, anyone know if that is a rare crow????
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • lynnie wrote...
    gminor -
    January 14, 2013 8:00 pm
    Yes it is rare, like the eagle pictured above, it is leucistic. I have only seen one crow with this condition - it was beautiful. You should post the photo!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Snout wrote...
    Just hope Sockit-to'em
    January 14, 2013 11:08 pm
    doesn't kill it for it's parts so he can have big medicine.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }