On Eagle Beach in Juneau, Alaska, a juvenile bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) hauls in a freshly caught salmon during the peak of the annual salmon run. Cloaked in mottled brown plumage, this immature raptor is honing the complex hunting and fishing skills essential for survival. Salmon runs provide a critical seasonal influx of high-energy food that supports not only bald eagles but also bears, gulls, and other scavengers, making these migratory fish a cornerstone of coastal Alaskan ecosystems. Observing a juvenile eagle at this stage highlights both the learning curve of these apex predators and the broader ecological dynamics that tie predator, prey, and nutrient cycling together along the Southeast Alaskan shoreline.