Alaskan Photo Tours

When I was 15 years old, I saw my very first American Bald Eagle. It looked like a hawk to me, but it was flying higher than they usually flew, and it was a good bit larger. It was my dad who clued me in to the fact that I was seeing something pretty amazing. He was awestruck, and I couldn’t figure out what impressed him so much. He explained to me how rare American Bald Eagles were at the time. The chances of seeing one flying around back them was something like one in ten thousand – it was almost impossible.

When, a few minutes later, that American bald eagle swooped down and dive bombed its target, I joined my dad in being awed. It was so high, and suddenly it was diving downwards at almost impossible speeds. It swooped in a huge arc, then came up clutching something in its claws – no doubt some type of rodent, or perhaps a turtle. I had never seen a bird doing something quite so impressive, so I was naturally a little bit awed and amazed. I had thought that hawks and eagles were more or less the same, but eagles really have a size and power that hawks just can not compare with.

Back then, my mom used to collect American bald eagle figurines. I was surprised, because figurines were not really her style. When I asked her about them, however, I found out the there was more to her American Eagles figurines than a simple collection of knickknacks. She bought them from a not for profit group dedicated to protecting American bald eagles. Back then, it was looking like the symbol of our nation might not survive our own environmentally short-sighted ways. Between PCB’s in the water, eagle hunting, and encroaching civilization which wreaked havoc on their environment, their population was rapidly dwindling. American bald eagles do not reproduce quickly, and require a lot of solitude and just the right environment to raise their young. Simply put, they were not getting the chance.

I got involved in American bald eagle conservation right alongside my parents. We campaigned to reduce pesticides and create sanctuaries for the birds. It took a long time, but they are finally beginning to make a bit of a comeback. I can not say that they are completely out of the woods yet but, slowly, they are getting there.

American Bald Eagles

POSTCARD~AMERICAN BALD EAGLE~ALASKA $5.99

American Expedition 24-Ounce Thermal Mug These 24-Ounce Plastic Thermal Mugs are perfect for accompanying the modern day explorer on any outdoor adventure. The double-walled construction and spill-proof lid helps keep hot beverages hot, and cold beverages cold while working or playing outdoors. Each mug includes a booklet of illustrations and information profiling the product’s featured animal….

American Expedition Wildlife 18-Ounce Ceramic Mug These popular Stoneware coffee mugs have become a gift industry staple. This attractive, large mug has a capacity of 18-ounces. Each mug is packaged in an attractive sturdy gift box and includes a booklet featuring illustrations and information profiling the product’s featured animal….

American Expedition Wildlife Soup Mug These Stoneware Soup Mugs are a great tableware gift that everyone can appreciate for their aesthetic appeal and their function. These handsome mugs have a convenient handle and hold up to 16 ounces of soup. Each mug is packaged in an attractive sturdy gift box and includes a booklet of illustration s and information profiling the product’s featured animal….

Eden: Out Of Time & Out Of Space $2.49 The career of composer George Rochberg (b. 1918) has seen plenty of evolution–including his famous switch from serialism to tonality–and its share of gems (the innovative string quartets that looked back to past masters; his Symphony No. 2). To those works, let’s add the music heard on Eden: Out of Time & Out of Space. This collection of guitar-based works (all featuring the exquisite and varied…

Tony Bennett Duets: An American Classic – Only at Target $19.98 …

Celebration $8.52 …

Lakota Woman – Siege at Wounded Knee [VHS] $14.98 Screen autobiography of Mary Crow Dog, a woman who survived childhood abuse, endured intra-tribal politics and became an eyewitness to the 1973 siege at Wounded Knee….

Symbols of America ~ The American Bald Eagle $175.00 Designed to help young learners understand and appreciate the images that have become the symbols that represent the greatness of the world’s mightiest nation. These images, recognized around the world, symbolize the American people, the American government, the ideals of American democracy and the determination to foster the American way of life. The bald eagle was chosen June 20, 1782 as the em…