chimpanzee

The sanctuary is fortunate to receive regular visits from bald eagles throughout the winter and spring. While there are a few year-round pairs in our area, many are just looking for a break and a bite to eat as they migrate north. We often find them perched atop the pine and fir trees lining the front of the property, overlooking the Yakima River. It’s the perfect fishing spot.

While they do like to fish, bald eagles are also scavengers and you are most apt to hear them when they are scavenging larger animals like deer. Have you ever heard a bald eagle’s call? Before living here, I had assumed that they would sound every bit as majestic as they appear. Quite the opposite, in fact. They sound like a bunch of seagulls sitting around and laughing at each other’s jokes.

This morning, a couple of bald eagles were somewhere in the woods just above Young’s Hill, their calls echoing off the ridge behind the sanctuary. This is about the best chimpanzee enrichment you could ask for. The chimps weren’t scared, but they were intent on finding the source of that incessant laughter.

Jamie often walks the perimeter of Young’s Hill with her caregivers, but today the chimps also went on several patrols of their own.

By afternoon, we still hadn’t caught sight of an eagle. The day is not over yet.