Dengler Images

Chilkat River bald eagle photos published in BBC book Life Story

by

BBC Book - Life Story cover
I am excited to announce that seven of my bald eagle images, taken on the Chilkat River in Alaska, will appear in a book published by BBC Books, a division of Random House Group Ltd. The book will accompany the BBC television series, Life Story: Many lives, one epic journey” by Rupert Barrington and Michael Gunton. The book’s forward is written by Sir David Attenborough.

Life Story, a six-part series produced by the famed BBC Natural History Unit follows animals from around the globe on their life’s journey. The series description says, “From the moment they are born, every animal on the planet begins the same great and perilous journey – life. Narrated by Sir David Attenborough, Life Story is told from the perspective of individual animals, this series follows the journey from birth to parenthood.” The series, scheduled to premiere on BBC 1 this fall, is described as a ground-breaking series.

Life Story is the first BBC landmark series to be shot in ultra-hi-definition (4K), delivering the highest quality images ever seen in a wildlife documentary.

In a BBC press release, Mike Gunton, executive producer of the series, says: “I think Life Story has raised the bar again in our natural history ‘landmarks’.

“Shooting in Ultra High Definition has been amazing – there is such a high level of intensity and insight, I think the audience will see the extraordinary ways animals survive in a wonderfully new light… and of course David Attenborough tells all the stories brilliantly.”

Life Story is a BBC/Discovery Channel/France Televisions co-production distributed globally by BBC Worldwide.

The book is available for pre-order on the U.S. Amazon.com website, and the U.K. Amazon.com website. Both websites list a release date for the book of October 9.

I haven’t heard when the series airs except that in the U.K., it will be on BBC1 this fall. I will update this blog post when I learn of the airing dates both in the U.S. and the U.K. Currently, only the The BBC online store in the U.K. shows that DVD and Blue-ray discs will be available on December 1.

I’m proud to be associated as a contributor with a project of this calibre. It was a pleasure to work with the book’s editor Rosamund Kidman Cox (former editor of BBC Wildlife Magazine) and picture researcher Laura Barwick. Their attention to detail in both content, editing and design was refreshing. It’s not something you often see in today’s cash-strapped media industry. It gave me hope that the media can still do exemplarily and ground-breaking work.

Be the first to know
‘Like’ the Dengler Images Facebook page
or follow my Twitter feed to know when I post iPhone reports from the field.

Exploration continues at Constantine Metal Resources’ Palmer Deposit mine project

by

Constantine Metal Resources Ltd. of Vancouver, British Columbia along with investment partner Dowa Metals & Mining Co., Ltd. of Japan is exploring a potential site for a mine (located upper center right) just above Glacier Creek (not visible) and the Klehini River (foreground), near Haines Alaska. This area, known as the Palmer Deposit is located near mile 40 of the Haines Highway and the Porcupine placer gold mining area. Pictured in the rear of the photo is Saksaia Glacier. The minerals that Constantine’s drilling explorations have found are primarily copper and zinc, with significant amounts of gold and silver. Exploratory drilling to refine the location and mineral amounts are the current focus of the company. If approved and developed, the mine would be an underground mine. Besides the actual ore deposits, having the nearby highway access for transporting ore to the deepwater port at Haines is also attractive to Constantine. Support for a large scale mine such as the Constantine project is divided among residents of Haines, a small community in Southeast Alaska 75 miles northwest of Juneau. The community’s needed economic boost from jobs, development and other mine support that a large-scale mine brings is tempting to some. To others, anything that might put the salmon spawning and rearing habitat and watershed resources at risk is simply unimaginable and unacceptable. Of particular concern is copper and other heavy metals in mine waste leaching into the Klehini and Chilkat River. Copper and heavy metals are toxic to salmon and bald eagles. The Chilkat River chum salmon are the primary food source for one of the largest gatherings of bald eagles in the world. Each fall, bald eagles congregate in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve, located only three miles downriver from the area of current exploration. At times more than 3,000 eagles have been recorded at the primary gathering area for the fall chum salmon run. (John L. Dengler)

Constantine Metal Resources Ltd. of Vancouver, British Columbia along with investment partner Dowa Metals & Mining Co., Ltd. of Japan is exploring a potential site for a mine in the area of a massive volcanogenic sulfide deposit (located upper right) just above Glacier Creek (not shown) and the Klehini River (foreground), near Haines Alaska. This area, known as the Palmer Deposit is located near mile 40 of the Haines Highway and the Porcupine placer gold mining area, currently seen on Discovery TV’s hit show, “Gold Rush”.

The minerals that Constantine’s drilling explorations have found are primarily copper and zinc, with significant amounts of gold and silver. Exploratory drilling to refine the location and mineral amounts are the current focus of the company. Constantine is encouraged by the samples from the 52 drill holes (as of 2013) they have collected so far. The company says these encouraging findings point to great potential for the project. In a company press release Garfield MacVeigh, President and CEO says, “2014 is poised to be a promising year for Constantine and the advancement of the Palmer project. We look forward to what will be the most active year in the company’s history and the opportunity to continue proving up Palmer’s potential.”

If approved and developed, the mine would be an underground mine. Besides the actual ore deposits, having the nearby highway access for transporting ore to the deepwater port at Haines is also attractive to Constantine. From Haines, ore would be shipped to smelters in Asia.

In April 2014, Constantine Metal Resources was awarded the right to lease 99,257 acres from the Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority. This area, known as the Haines Block is located adjacent to the approximate 16,000 acre Palmer property. It shares similar geology to the Palmer Deposit.

Support for a large scale mine such as the Constantine project is divided among residents of Haines, a small community in Southeast Alaska 75 miles northwest of Juneau. A 2011 survey of Haines residents revealed 50% support for a large scale mine located in the Chilkat Valley, the lowest percentage of choices offered for economic development opportunities. The community’s needed economic boost from jobs, development and other mine support that a large-scale mine brings is tempting to some. To others, anything that might put the salmon spawning and rearing habitat and watershed resources at risk is simply unimaginable and unacceptable.

Mine opponents, including tribal organizations and local and regional conservation groups, worry that a mine and associated roads will have the potential to negatively affect the pristine Chilkat watershed’s rivers, creeks and fish. Of particular concern is copper and other heavy metals in mine waste leaching into the Klehini and Chilkat River. Copper, in particular, is toxic to salmon. Mine opponents easily point to the mining industry’s history of not being able to effectively manage the finely ground mine waste tailings and acid rock drainage, another concern and often byproduct of mining high sulfide deposits.

The Chilkat watershed supports all five species of wild Pacific salmon (chinook, coho, pink, chum) within it’s spawning and rearing habitat. Salmon are important economically to the region’s fishing industry, equally important culturally to the native Tlingit and as a subsistence food source to area residents.

These salmon, particularly chum salmon, are also the primary food source for one of the largest gatherings of bald eagles in the world. Each fall, bald eagles congregate in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve, located only three miles downriver from the area of current exploration. At times more than 3,000 eagles have been recorded at the primary gathering area for the fall chum salmon run.

Biologists and mine opponents point out that like salmon, bald eagles are also very sensitive to copper and heavy metals. Because the visiting bald eagles come to the river to eat salmon, the eagles would be at great risk of accumulating copper in their bodies if the fish they eat are laced with heavy accumulations of copper and other heavy metals.

How this all transpires is yet to be determined. I suspect that as future geological exploration further identifies location, quality and yield, the supporters and opponents of developing a mine at the Palmer Deposit will rally their respective base of supporters, leading to heated discussions within and outside the local Haines community. In the end, scientific research and base-line environmental data will play a key role in helping formulate reasoned answers to the serious questions and concerns that will need to be raised.

A long line dangles from a helicopter above the location of the potential mine site being explored by Constantine Metal Resources Ltd. of Vancouver, British Columbia along with investment partner Dowa Metals & Mining Co., Ltd. of Japan. The area of exploration, known as the Palmer Deposit is located near mile 40 of the Haines Highway and the Porcupine placer gold mining area near Haines, Alaska. The minerals that Constantine’s drilling explorations have found are primarily copper and zinc, with significant amounts of gold and silver. Exploratory drilling to refine the location and mineral amounts are the current focus of the company. If approved and developed, the mine would be an underground mine. Besides the actual ore deposits, having the nearby highway access for transporting ore to the deepwater port at Haines is also attractive to Constantine. Support for a large scale mine such as the Constantine project is divided among residents of Haines, a small community in Southeast Alaska 75 miles northwest of Juneau. The community’s needed economic boost from jobs, development and other mine support that a large-scale mine brings is tempting to some. To others, anything that might put the salmon spawning and rearing habitat and watershed resources at risk is simply unimaginable and unacceptable. Of particular concern is copper and other heavy metals in mine waste leaching into the Klehini and Chilkat River. Copper and heavy metals are toxic to salmon and bald eagles. The Chilkat River chum salmon are the primary food source for one of the largest gatherings of bald eagles in the world. Each fall, bald eagles congregate in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve, located only three miles downriver from the area of current exploration. At times more than 3,000 eagles have been recorded at the primary gathering area for the fall chum salmon run. (John L. Dengler)

A long line dangles from a helicopter above the location of the potential mine site being explored by Constantine Metal Resources Ltd. To license image, click image.

Constantine Metal Resources Ltd. of Vancouver, British Columbia along with investment partner Dowa Metals & Mining Co., Ltd. of Japan is exploring a potential site for a mine (located upper right) just above Glacier Creek (not visible) and the Klehini River (foreground), near Haines Alaska. This area, known as the Palmer Deposit is located near mile 40 of the Haines Highway and the Porcupine placer gold mining area. The minerals that Constantine’s drilling explorations have found are primarily copper and zinc, with significant amounts of gold and silver. Exploratory drilling to refine the location and mineral amounts are the current focus of the company. If approved and developed, the mine would be an underground mine. Besides the actual ore deposits, having the nearby highway access for transporting ore to the deepwater port at Haines is also attractive to Constantine. Support for a large scale mine such as the Constantine project is divided among residents of Haines, a small community in Southeast Alaska 75 miles northwest of Juneau. The community’s needed economic boost from jobs, development and other mine support that a large-scale mine brings is tempting to some. To others, anything that might put the salmon spawning and rearing habitat and watershed resources at risk is simply unimaginable and unacceptable. Of particular concern is copper and other heavy metals in mine waste leaching into the Klehini and Chilkat River. Copper and heavy metals are toxic to salmon and bald eagles. The Chilkat River chum salmon are the primary food source for one of the largest gatherings of bald eagles in the world. Each fall, bald eagles congregate in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve, located only three miles downriver from the area of current exploration. At times more than 3,000 eagles have been recorded at the primary gathering area for the fall chum salmon run. (© John L. Dengler/Dengler Images)

The close proximity of the potential Constantine Palmer Deposit mine site (upper right) to the Klehini River (foreground) is worrisome to opponents to the mine. The Klehini River flows into the Chilkat River. Both are important salmon rivers. Heavy metal mine tailings, particularly copper are toxic to salmon and bald eagles. To license image, click image.

Constantine Metal Resources Ltd. of Vancouver, British Columbia along with investment partner Dowa Metals & Mining Co., Ltd. of Japan is exploring a potential site for a mine located just to the right of the pictured Saksaia Glacier (right). The potential mine site is just above Glacier Creek (not visible) and the Klehini River (foreground), near Haines Alaska. The potential mine site area, known as the Palmer Deposit is located near mile 40 of the Haines Highway and the Porcupine placer gold mining area located in the low foreground area of the photo below distant Porcupine Peak (left rear). The minerals that Constantine’s drilling explorations have found are primarily copper and zinc, with significant amounts of gold and silver. Support for a large scale mine such as the Constantine project is divided among residents of Haines, a small community in Southeast Alaska 75 miles northwest of Juneau. The community’s needed economic boost from jobs, development and other mine support that a large-scale mine brings is tempting to some. To others, anything that might put the salmon spawning and rearing habitat and watershed resources at risk is simply unimaginable and unacceptable. Of particular concern is copper and other heavy metals in mine waste leaching into the Klehini and Chilkat River. Copper and heavy metals are toxic to salmon and bald eagles. The Chilkat River chum salmon are the primary food source for one of the largest gatherings of bald eagles in the world. Each fall, bald eagles congregate in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve, located only three miles downriver from the area of current exploration. At times more than 3,000 eagles have been recorded at the primary gathering area for the fall chum salmon run. EDITORS NOTE: This panorama image was produced by electronically stitching together multiple single images. (John L. Dengler)

The Palmer Deposit area (far right) is near the historic Porcupine placer gold mining area located in the left, low foreground area of the photo and below distant Porcupine Peak (left rear). To license image, click image.

The Saksaia Glacier sits at the top of the Glacier Creek valley near the location of the potential mine site being explored by Constantine Metal Resources Ltd. of Vancouver, British Columbia along with investment partner Dowa Metals & Mining Co., Ltd. of Japan. The area of exploration, known as the Palmer Deposit is located near mile 40 of the Haines Highway and the Porcupine placer gold mining area near Haines, Alaska. The minerals that Constantine’s drilling explorations have found are primarily copper and zinc, with significant amounts of gold and silver. Exploratory drilling to refine the location and mineral amounts are the current focus of the company. If approved and developed, the mine would be an underground mine. Besides the actual ore deposits, having the nearby highway access for transporting ore to the deepwater port at Haines is also attractive to Constantine. Support for a large scale mine such as the Constantine project is divided among residents of Haines, a small community in Southeast Alaska 75 miles northwest of Juneau. The community’s needed economic boost from jobs, development and other mine support that a large-scale mine brings is tempting to some. To others, anything that might put the salmon spawning and rearing habitat and watershed resources at risk is simply unimaginable and unacceptable. Of particular concern is copper and other heavy metals in mine waste leaching into the Klehini and Chilkat River. Copper and heavy metals are toxic to salmon and bald eagles. The Chilkat River chum salmon are the primary food source for one of the largest gatherings of bald eagles in the world. Each fall, bald eagles congregate in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve, located only three miles downriver from the area of current exploration. At times more than 3,000 eagles have been recorded at the primary gathering area for the fall chum salmon run. (John L. Dengler)

The Saksaia Glacier sits at the top of the Glacier Creek valley near the location of the potential mine site being explored by Constantine Metal Resources Ltd. To license image, click image.

UPDATE: In August 2014, Constantine Metal Resources announced that Japan Oil, Gas and Metals National Corporation signed an equity funding agreement with Constantine’s partner Dowa Metals and Mining Co. Ltd. Japan Oil, Gas and Metals National Corporation is a Japanese government organization with a mandate to secure a stable supply of natural resources for Japan. It provides financial assistance to companies for overseas exploration.

LINKS

Haines Highway realignment —
balancing safety and the environment

by

The Alaska Department of Transportation is proposing to widen and realign a 21.8-mile section of the two-lane Haines Highway (AK 7) near Haines, Alaska and bring the road up to federal highway standards. The department’s goal is to widen the highway, replace the Chilkat River Bridge, help control landslides and bring the speed limit up from 50 to 55 mph by straightening curves, like this curve at mile 17 of the highway. Much of the rural highway travels through the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle preserve. Some Haines residents worry about the impact the straightening will have on a 15-mile section of the road through the preserve. Bald eagle perching and roosting trees, wetlands and salmon spawning habitat and cultural sites could potentially be affected. The straightening of the curve shown is one of the curves which would require significant work including wetland mitigation and stream relocation. The Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve is the location of one of the largest gatherings of bald eagles in the world each fall. The 48,000 acre area was designated as a preserve in 1982. The Haines Highway is the only road access to Haines. The 152 mile highway travels from Haines, Alaska to Haines Junction, Yukon in Canada where it connects with the Alaska Highway and continental highway system. (© John L. Dengler/Dengler Images)

Protecting people, bald eagles and salmon at the same time isn’t as simple as it might sound.

The Alaska Department of Transportation is proposing to widen and realign a 21.8-mile section of the two-lane Haines Highway (AK 7) near Haines, Alaska and bring the road up to federal highway standards. The department’s goal is to widen the highway, replace the Chilkat River Bridge, help control landslides and bring the speed limit up from 50 to 55 mph by straightening curves, like this curve at mile 17 of the highway (ABOVE). Much of the rural highway travels through the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle preserve. Some Haines residents worry about the impact the straightening will have on a 15-mile section of the road through the preserve. Bald eagle perching and roosting trees, wetlands and salmon spawning habitat and cultural sites could potentially be affected. The straightening of the curve shown is one of the curves which would require significant work including wetland mitigation and stream relocation.

The Alaska Department of Transportation is proposing to widen and realign a 21.8-mile section of the two-lane Haines Highway (AK 7) near Haines, Alaska and bring the road up to federal highway standards. The department’s goal is to widen the highway, replace the Chilkat River Bridge, help control landslides and bring the speed limit up from 50 to 55 mph by straightening curves. Much of the rural highway travels through the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle preserve. In this photo bald eagles perch in trees next to the Haines Highway at 20.7 mile near the parking lot pullout for the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve. Proposed roadwork in the area shown in this photo is less extensive than in nearby areas not shown. Some Haines residents worry about the impact the straightening will have on a 15-mile section of the road through the preserve. Bald eagle perching and roosting trees, wetlands and salmon spawning habitat and cultural sites could potentially be affected. The straightening of the curve shown is one of the curves which would require significant work including wetland mitigation and stream relocation. The Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve is the location of one of the largest gatherings of bald eagles in the world each fall. The 48,000 acre area was designated as a preserve in 1982. The Haines Highway is the only road access to Haines. The 152 mile highway travels from Haines, Alaska to Haines Junction, Yukon in Canada where it connects with the Alaska Highway and continental highway system. (© John L. Dengler/Dengler Images)

Due to 250 comments received about the project from Chilkat Valley residents, and an unfavorable review from the National Marine Fisheries Service, the environmental assessment plan for project is being revised.

The state estimates that 584 people use the highway daily. During an 80 minute period during the mid-afternoon, this photographer photographed vehicles traveling through the curve at 17 mile. Most of the approximately 42 vehicles were the only vehicles on the road at the remote curve. However, there were several instances when more than one vehicle passed each other as they went south towards Haines, or north towards the nearby Canadian border (as seen in this photo).

The Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve is the location of one of the largest gatherings of bald eagles in the world each fall. The 48,000 acre area was designated as a preserve in 1982. The Haines Highway is the only road access to Haines. The 152 mile highway travels from Haines, Alaska to Haines Junction, Yukon in Canada where it connects with the Alaska Highway and continental highway system.

RIGHT: Bald eagles perch in trees next to the Haines Highway at 20.7 mile near the parking lot pullout for the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve. Proposed roadwork in the area shown in this photo is less extensive than in nearby areas not shown. To license an image, click image.

LINKS

Audubon Magazine Photo Contest recognition:
Better late than never

by

Two bald eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) fight over a salmon carcass along the Chilkat River in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve near Haines, Alaska. During late fall, bald eagles congregate along the Chilkat River to feed on salmon. This gathering of bald eagles in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve is believed to be one of the largest gatherings of bald eagles in the world. (John L. Dengler)

I recently discovered while “googling” my own photography that one of my bald eagle images from the Chilkat River (seen above) was selected as one of the top 100 images in the Audubon magazine 2011 photo contest. I entered the image along with a few others and never heard back concerning the contest results. While it is not worth shouting from a mountain top it is nice to know that one of my images at least caught the eye of judges.

My image of bald eagles fighting is the fifth image in the slideshow of the 2011 Audubon Magazine Photo Awards Top 100.

Be the first to know
‘Like’ the Dengler Images Facebook page
or ‘+1’ Dengler Images on Google+
to know when I post iPhone reports from the field.

Contact

Phone:
+1.417.849.5642
Email:
[email protected]

Copyright Information

All photographs and text within DenglerImages.com are copyright John L. Dengler and/or the stated publication and are presented for web browser viewing only. Nothing contained within this site may be reproduced, downloaded, stored, copied, manipulated, altered, or used in any form without prior written permission from John L. Dengler and/or the stated publication. Do not "pin" images on pinning sites (Pinterest, Tumblr, etc.). Using any image as the base for another illustration or graphic content, including photography, is a violation of copyright and intellectual property laws. Violation of copyright will be actively prosecuted.

Newsletter signup

Sign up for our free email newsletter to keep updated on recent work, new products, or coupon specials. Simply enter your details, and confirm your address with the confirmation email that we send. It's easy and safe. We never share our newsletter list.

CLICK HERE to sign-up to receive newsletter and new blog post alerts.