Whatcom County

Deming Homestead Eagle Park

A 33-acre county park of fields and riverside forest on the North Fork Nooksack River near Deming, where wintering bald eagles gather to feed on spawned-out salmon.

River
Sandbars
Riparian forest
Fields

Bald eagle
Great blue heron
Belted kingfisher
Trumpeter swan
Red-tailed hawk
Cedar waxwing

Directions Show on map

Draft field guide. Drafted from Whatcom County Parks and Washington Trails Association listings; verify on site before relying on them.

Photography

Best light: Morning lightOvercast
Recommended focal length: 500–800mm

Eagles gather from December through March; numbers track the strength of each year's salmon run.
Viewing is best in the early morning and on cloudy days, when eagles feed on carcasses washed onto the sandbars.
Between feeds, eagles perch high in riverside trees to dry their feathers; frame them against the sky or the dark forest.

Access

Parking: Small parking lot at 5615 Truck Road, just off Mount Baker Highway (SR 542) east of the Highway 9 junction.
Trails: 0.7 miles of flat gravel trail: an accessible 0.2-mile path east to the picnic areas, and a 0.1-mile path west across a footbridge to a 0.4-mile loop around a field.
Restrictions: Day use only, 8am to dusk.
Stay on trails and off the sandbars where eagles feed.

Before you go

Lens: 500–800mm. Pack spare batteries; cold drains them fast.
Review the access restrictions above and any posted closures.
Check the weather and, on the shoreline, the tide forecast.
Keep a respectful distance. If an animal changes its behavior, you're too close.

Plan for Saturday, November 7

Date

Photography windows

MorningBest

90/100light & conditions

7:05 AM–8:53 AM

100% cloud
31% rain
2 mph
52°F

Evening

89/100light & conditions

2:51 PM–4:38 PM

100% cloud
34% rain
5 mph
57°F

Sun

First light

6:31 AM

Sunrise

7:05 AM

Morning golden hour ends

7:53 AM

Evening golden hour begins

3:51 PM

Sunset

4:38 PM

Last light

5:12 PM

Opportunities by species

No eBird checklists were submitted within 10 km between Mon, Oct 19 and Sun, Nov 1, so recent activity isn't scored.

Red-tailed hawk

Based on 3 of 4 factors

69/100 opportunity score

low confidence

Recent activity67% of chanceNo recent sightings data; a discounted seasonality stands in
Seasonality33% of chance

Show 3 more species

Belted kingfisher
Based on 3 of 4 factors
53/100 opportunity score
low confidence
- Recent activity67% of chanceNo recent sightings data; a discounted seasonality stands in
- Seasonality33% of chance65

Times are Pacific. Generated 1:50 AM. Weather from Open-Meteo, fetched 1:48 AM. Sightings from eBird, fetched 1:48 AM.

Photography

Best light

Morning lightOvercast

Recommended focal length

500–800mm

Eagles gather from December through March; numbers track the strength of each year's salmon run.

Viewing is best in the early morning and on cloudy days, when eagles feed on carcasses washed onto the sandbars.

Between feeds, eagles perch high in riverside trees to dry their feathers; frame them against the sky or the dark forest.

Access

Parking

Small parking lot at 5615 Truck Road, just off Mount Baker Highway (SR 542) east of the Highway 9 junction.

Trails

0.7 miles of flat gravel trail: an accessible 0.2-mile path east to the picnic areas, and a 0.1-mile path west across a footbridge to a 0.4-mile loop around a field.

Restrictions

Day use only, 8am to dusk.
Stay on trails and off the sandbars where eagles feed.