In autumn, the rivers of the Olympic Peninsula draw concentrations of feeding wildlife to the spawning fish, with bald eagles, river otters, gulls, and black bears gathering along the banks. For a few weeks the riverside becomes a focal point of intense animal activity, drawing predators and scavengers together and underpinning the food web from water to forest.
If you're driving this in the fall, watch the river bends and gravel bars for a gathering of animals. When the fish come up to spawn, the whole hungry neighborhood turns out to meet them. Bald eagles line the bare branches over the water by the dozen, waiting their turn. River otters work the shallows, gulls wheel and squabble, and a black bear may be standing knee-deep in the current, swatting. For a few short autumn weeks these quiet riverbanks become the busiest dining table in the forest, and every diner is there for the same reason.
Photo: Analise Zocher · CC BY 2.0
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