Watching a bald eagle glide through the air, swoop down and pluck a fish from a river is one of the more majestic scenes nature has to offer.

Fortunately for those who live in the Pacific Northwest, there is a local celebration that embraces bald eagles and those that admire them.  

The Skagit Eagle Festival, which runs weekends throughout January, celebrates the bald eagles that migrate to feast on salmon along the Upper Skagit River each winter. The month-long festival features tours, walks and educational programs for visitors Saturdays and Sundays. During that time there are designated viewing sites with volunteers providing information, spotting scopes and binoculars to help visitors spot the guests of honor. The many activities take place in the Skagit County cities of Concrete, Rockport and Marblemount.

The area's many bald eagles' winter migration to the North Cascades provides an opportunity to see them in groups in beautiful, natural surroundings, feeding along riverbeds or roosting in trees in numbers peaking in January, when they come from as far away as Alaska.

The Skagit River Bald Eagle Interpretive Center at Howard Miller Steelhead Park in Rockport, located about 100 miles north and east of Seattle, provides information and nature walks and the Forest Service staffs eagle viewing stations Saturdays and Sundays along the Highway 20 corridor at Sutter Creek Rest Area, Marblemount Fish Hatchery and Howard Miller Steelhead Park.

Visitors are reminded to not disturb the eagles; a telephoto lens is the best way to get photos. Peak feeding times are usually 7-11 a.m. near the river's edge; groups of eagles can sometimes be spotted in trees near the river. Guided float trips to see eagles and other wildlife are available by reservation, and information about local accommodations and other services is available through the Eagle Festival and the Concrete Chamber of Commerce.

Special events throughout the festival include Sarvey Wildlife Center programs Jan. 21, and wine tasting, hayrides and Concrete Heritage Museum events every weekend.

The Skagit River Interpretive Center is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, and hosts a guided nature walk 11 a.m. Saturday and Sunday. Howard Miller Steelhead Park is located at 52809 Rockport Park Road, Rockport. For more information, call (360) 853-7626 or visit www.skagiteagle.org.

For more information on the festival and directions to the many events, visit concrete-wa.com/skagit-eagle-festival-2012.