06 Volume 2, No. 3, September 1929

Eagles

By F. Lyle Wynd

Throughout the summer several eagles have been noticed flying about the crags near the southeast part of the Rim. While it is very difficult to positively identify birds flying so far away, it is believed that these were Golden Eagles.

In their immature stages Golden and Bald Eagles are very much alike. The mature birds are very easily distinguished if one is sufficiently close to see the white head and tail of the Bald Eagle. Both species are known to occur at Crater Lake. The only Bald Eagle so far reported this year was seen by Ranger Croghan in the early part of the season.

Several years ago, Golden Eagles nested in the vicinity of Castle Crest and a pair of Bald Eagles have been known to nest on Wizard Island. It is presumed that those seen over the lake are nesting somewhere about the Rim.

In Castle Crest Garden

By Earl U. Homuth

The Castle Crest Wild Flower Garden, which has been developed with a path displaying to best advantage the various habitats in which the variety of wild flowers grow in particular profusion has been visited daily by a large number of tourists. When this new feature becomes more generally known it will undoubtedly attract considerable attention.

Other than being a wild flower garden it has proved to be among the best places in which to observe Park animals.

Where the trail passed under talus lying at the foot of Castle Crest, the visitor is invariably greeted by whistles of conies from the rocks above.

Marmots are particularly numerous. It is related by one visitor that he saw an older marmot hurriedly covering several younger ones with earth at his approach.

The grass and flowers upon a moist slope were crushed as by the weight of some heavy object passing down the slope. A workman clearing the trail reports that he observed the bears descending this hill, sliding through grasses into the meadow below.
Of the birds, many species not common on the Rim are to be found. The Gray Jay, Stellar’s Jay, and Clarke’s Crow are common, the Warblers of many species are numerous, the Creepers, Nuthatches, and Robins are seen or heard daily. As a place in which the bird student could spend time to advantage it is not excelled in the Park.The flowers attract great numbers of butterflies, and the hum of smaller insects is distinctly audible during the warmer part of the day. vol2-3c3
vol2-3c4 Several rustic benches have been constructed beside the stream, which is formed by dozens of springs flowing from the cliffs, or in the shade of huge pines and firs, overlooking meadows which terminate in the colored mass of Castle Crest above.