Haliaeetus leucocephalus - The King of the Intertidal Ecosystem
Bald Eagle photo from Cortes Island BC, Canada

A Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) swoops impressively down toward the tide flats at Smelt Bay. These powerful birds of prey are at the top of the avian food chain on Cortes Island, where they hold court from their massive multi-generational nests, often built near the very top of a large Douglas fir tree.