A) Our most prized National symbol...the Bald Eagle!! I know the picture is terrible (stupid iPhone camera), but this most majestic and proud bird is absolutely stunning, and the fun thing to watch is when one flies over head...everyone stops what they are doing and watches it til it disappears...it doesn't matter how many times you've seen one! This bird is beautiful, and in the northwest we are blessed with a large population!! I took this picture from the tide flat about 50 yards away...for those not from around the US, don't even think about hunting it!
they are protected by our federal government...aka you will go to jail, and you will be fined $1,000,000!! Seriously!
B) is going to take a bit of explaining...lol!! In the Pacific Northwest salmon is a major life force! It provides food, and also money (being a major export) for us...anyways...the partial square is a holding pen for around 30,000 coho smolt (bigger than fry smaller than adult)...these salmon were brought here from my actual hometown of Issaquah, where we actually have a festival celebrating the return of salmon to our streams, and are held here for a 6 month process known as imprinting...the idea is to ingrain the "smell" of this particular part of the sound, so they return to the area and provide the fishermen with food...it is believed that salmon can smell the difference in water and that is how they know where to return to spawn! Salmon always go back to the river system they were born in, to breed...the thing next to the pen, is a male California Sealion...in the Puget Sound all California Sealions are males (not sure why) he was relaxing under the fishing pier I was standing on! Needless to say, a lot of the fishermen were upset he was there!!
C) is another shot of the Sealion
they are also protected by state and federal law, but the fine is not even close to that of our National treasure!