Photos: 2021 smelt run on the Lewis River attracting hundreds of bald eagles

Clark County Today photographer Mike Schultz offers some eye-opening visuals of bald eagles preying on the annual smelt run in the Lewis River near Woodland

Clark County Today’s award-winning photographer Mike Schultz seems to be happiest when he’s shooting wildlife in Southwest Washington.

Schultz has been up to his usual practice of providing us with eye-opening visuals to enjoy. For the past week, he has been devoting his spare time to shooting images of the activities of bald eagles preying on the smelt run on the lower Lewis River near Woodland. 

According to Schultz, this year’s run was about three weeks late but it has been the strongest in the area in the last “seven or eight years,’’ but “not as prolific as the runs of the 1980s.’’ 

Schultz has taken some spectacular images of eagles, seagulls and sea lions who have flocked to the area, attracted by the smelt run. Schultz says there appear to be several hundred eagles flying over the site at different times. We hope you enjoy these images.