23rd Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest Wildlife
Under the Chilkat Sky
With the towering Chilkat Mountains as a backdrop, a juvenile bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) perches on driftwood along Eagle Beach in Juneau, Alaska. Still cloaked in the mottled plumage of youth, its gaze is steady and its presence commanding — a quiet moment that hints at the power it is destined to embody.
Photo Detail
| Date Taken: | 07.2025 |
| Date Uploaded: | 11.2025 |
| Photo Location: | Juneau, Alaska, United States of America |
| Camera: | ILCE-6700 |
| Copyright: | © Owen Palmer |