15 bald eagles and great blue heron soar above a beautiful, fall Snake River float trip

MENAN — “Would you and your wife be available to run down the river tomorrow night? We would leave at 4:30 and be back by eight,” a neighbor emailed me.

My wife said “yes,” and we joined two other couples to float the Snake River from the Menan Boat Ramp to the one near Roberts. It was a beautiful evening last Monday and was unseasonably warm – just right for a great evening of enjoyment.

I had been instructed to “bring your camera” and we had just floated for about five minutes when we located the first two of more than 15 bald eagles sighted that evening. They were a couple of “love birds” enjoying a view of the changing colors and were probably working on their relationship, just as we were.

We discussed bald eagles, and I explained how they mate for life and enjoy being a couple year-round. They had probably worked hard all summer keeping one or two children fed, teaching them how to fly and to hunt and now had time to work on their togetherness. They allowed us to float right under them, and they appeared to smile as we passed by them.

Jody, the navigator, explained where he had caught fish and how the river has changed over a lifetime of floating it.

Just as we were given our promised smoked turkey sandwiches, a beautiful belted kingfisher landed on a willow as we floated by. After snagging a picture of him, I had to snap a photo of the leaves turning color on the bank.

About a fourth of the way through the float, as we were looking for beaver slides down the riverbank, I noticed seven immature bald eagles playing air-games. They were working on their flight mastery by acting like a bunch of teenagers trying to develop into adults. They probably did not realize that they still have another two or years before they become adults.

As we rounded a bend, we saw a man and a woman sitting quietly on the bank, with their fishing poles lying on the river rocks while they held hands. Like the six of us in the boat and the adult eagle pairs we observed, they appeared to be enjoying the beautiful colors, wildlife and working on their relationship. I hoped that we had not diminished the moment for them.

“They must have walked a long way to get where they are,” Jody commented as we floated by.

Not long after that, we became high-centered on a gravel bar. Poling with the oars did not get us off, so Jody and his wife, Val, put boots on and finally worked us free. Only one foot got wet, but we all relaxed again as we floated by more adult eagles and a great blue heron.

The Snake River can be very violent during the spring run-off or when calls for more water come during irrigation season, and the banks showed signs of the violence. Log jams are constant – some caused by beavers falling huge trees and from the erosion that naturally takes place. Most of the river has been riprapped with rocks, slabs of concrete and even old cars used to stop the river from stealing private property.

With the wildfires burning in Central Idaho, we were treated with a beautiful sunset reflecting off the water as we neared the last of our journey.

But with the request of wanting to see a beaver from one of his guests, Jody turned off the engine, and we watched the bank to try to locate the very large rodents. In the distance we could hear the sounds coming from the town of Roberts and the freeway, but it did not diminish our enjoyment of a very slow drift.

The beavers did not make a show, and we also missed seeing moose that are often common sights, but it was a wonderful afternoon and evening with friends and our spouses.

Another trip may be warranted, but will probably not be more enjoyable as the beautiful colorful and calm evening that we had Monday night.