Bald Eagle in the Harbor, Bellingham, Washington
A number of my recent books, including A Bald Eagle’s World, have been illustrated with my own art. I rely on photographs and personal observations of the animals as references for my drawings. When possible, I like to observe animals in their natural habitats. I have been to Alaska and have seen bald eagles in the wild. I have also seen bald eagles in Minnesota, Washington, in Yellowstone National Park, and elsewhere. They are found in every state of the union except Hawaii! I also find nature films and video helpful in my research. While I was working on the eagle book, I kept my second computer screen open to a live webcam at an eagle nest on Catalina island. It was amazing. In real time, I could watch the young chicks toddling around the nest waiting for their parents to bring them food, and then suddenly the adult eagle would arrive, swooping in with a fish in its talons. Several nests in California and elsewhere are fitted with 24 hour video cameras hooked up to a web feed. It is nesting season again and both nests on Catalina already have eagles sitting on eggs. Tune in and follow the action at the nest! (Be sure to turn on your sound so you can hear the wind and the birds' vocalizations.)
