Notes From Events and Observations on the James River
The Early Years
November 2009 was a turning point in my life. I began to follow ten resident bald eagles on the James River and developed a wildlife tour around them. As I got to know them, their territories and began an understanding of their annual life cycle, I began to get busier.
By 2014 the Eagle Tour developed into a destination for eagle lovers, photogrpahers and families. These Tours overtook my fishing trips (been a fishing guide for 25 years), and it's been a blur since then. The following short stories are a collection of events and observations from about ten years ago as I began adventures into watching the first ten bald eagles, and the section of the James they reside became known as Jefferson's Reach. Some of the stories include fishing events, but for the most part, it was the beginning of the rest of my life, which I dearly hope includes bald eagles.
Capt. Mike
2010 James River Regional Cleanup a Success! (June 2010)
Little Eaglet "Gigi" Flies for the First Time (May 2010)
Catfish Programs Yield Big Fish (July 2010)
Uncontrollable Laughter (August 2010)
Discover the James Blog Entry, December 19, 2010 (December 2010)
Consistently Amazed at What the James Offers (December 2010)
2011 Starts Off Right (January 1, 2011)
Interesting Eagle Activity (January 8, 2011)
Richmond Photography Meetup Group (January 16, 2011)
Eagles Behind Warren's Island (January 2011)
Honoring a Friend on the River (January 28, 2011)
Boat Record Blue Catfish - 78 lbs! (February 3, 2011)
High Winds ... Eagle's Nests OK (February 20 & 21, 2011)
Eagle Activity Update: Jefferson's Reach (February 13, 2011)
Jones Landing: First Fish of the Year (February 1, 2011)
Eagle Update: Jefferson's Reach: Eggs are Hatching! (March 7-13, 2011)
Eagle Update: Jefferson's Reach to the City of Richmond (Last week of March, 2011)
Thought About the James: First Week of April 2011 (April, 2011)
Annual Visitor to the James (April 14, 2011)
Eaglet's of Jefferson's Reach 2011 (May 2011)
The Civil War on the James River - Part 1 (by DTJ CW Interpreter, Scott Williams)
Eaglets of Jefferson's Reach 2011 - June Update (June 6, 2011)
The Story of Rebecca & John: Jefferson Reach's Fifth Pair of Resident Eagles (June 6, 2011)
Eagle Update: Father's Day 2011 (June 19, 2011)
Independence Day Eagles & Osprey (July 4, 2011)
What I learned at Fish Camp Last Week (August 16, 2011)
Sturgeon & Eagles (August 19, 2011)
Hurricane Irene and the Bald Eagles of Jefferson's Reach (September 6, 2011)
A Gift From Jefferson's Reach on September 11, 2011 (September 11, 2011)
Interesting Observations with Bandit (September 20, 2011)
Jefferson's Reach (October 4, 2011)
A Day on the James with Sturgeon (October 2011)
Fall Blue Catfishing on the James River Update (December 5, 2011)
Eagle Tour Photographer Spotlight: Steve Baranoff (December 6, 2011)
An Amazing Day on the James (December 20, 2011)
Eagle Tour Photographer Spotlight: Dave Parrish (December 28, 2011)
Bald Eagles of Jefferson's Reach: Jan 1, 2012 vs. Jan 1, 2011 (January 1, 2012)
Bald Eagle Tour Photographer Spotlight: Otis Sowell (January 18, 2012)
Persistence Pays Off: A Fishing Story by Young RVA Angler, Hayden Kurz (February 4, 2012)
Bald Eagles of the James River Exhibition (April 4, 2012)
The Future of the James Looks Bright (May 22, 2012)
Spending Time with Atlantic Sturgeon on the James River (September 2012)
Late Winter: James River Bald Eagle Report (February, 2013)