Despite less than perfect weather, this year's annual eagle count went off smoothly.
"I think it went perfectly," said Thor Froslev, organizer of the 2007 Brackendale Winter Eagle Festival's bald eagle count.
"Everyone was on time, with the last count coming in just before 4 p.m.," said Froslev, who helped tally up the total count, which came in at 1,757.
"It was about average," he said.
Fittingly, on a soaking wet day when the rains wouldn't stop, the few problems encountered by the festival's 60 volunteers involved the water.
"It was hard for volunteers to get up the Elaho (River)," said Froslev. "But eventually they were able to find a tree across and finally made it."
Counts along the rivers were aided by three kayaks and a rafting crew, although the raft was unable to cover the whole channel due to too many trees.
"The rafting crew was incredible," said Froslev, of their attempts to cover as much water as was possible.
While the eagle count numbers were up from last year, with 73 more raptors making an appearance, the wet weather did keep away some of the tourists for the count on Sunday (Jan. 7).
Only four people participated in the morning guided eagle walk, and the number of photographers lining the banks of area rivers was far less than in some previous years.
"It might not be great for us, but the birds don't seem to mind it," said guide Chris Dale, who noted that numbers were higher closer to Christmas.
But Froslev contends that moving the count into December may not change their average numbers.
"With the eagles, they are unpredictable," he said "There could be 3,000 one day and only 1,000 the next. In 1994 when we had a world record, that was also the first Sunday in January."
A few photographers did venture out into the rain, including three separate camera clubs from Vancouver, and a number of international tourists including a group that had traveled from Ohio for the count.
