LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Wind and rain subsided for a winter intermission, and remnants of the storm's wrath sailed overhead with silver, then golden clouds set against a blue backdrop.

If these 24 carat skies weren't splendorous enough, a view of our “lake eternal” in all of its shimmering vitality, brimming with birdlife now, is sure to surprise you.

There are many reasons Lake County is considered a premier bird-watching locale.

We have lush valleys, abundant creeks, wetlands and forests. We also have clean air and wide open spaces.

A huge draw for our avian friends is, of course, our beautiful, bountiful lake – Clear Lake.

Location, location, location: Lake County has it in spades since we are located on the Pacific Flyway, which is the migratory corridor that spans south to South America, and north all the way to Alaska. In fact, Audubon California has designated Lake County “an Important Bird Area.”

During a recent walk along the lake I spied a beautiful bald eagle perched high up on a tree at the lake's edge.

It is not uncommon to spot these regal birds while hiking in winter here in Lake County. They have been spotted soaring above Hidden Valley's lake, and throughout the Cache Creek Wilderness lands.

The bald eagle holds a significant status for Americans, since it is our national bird.

Bald eagles also hold cultural significance to some American Indian tribes. The eagle feathers are incorporated into some tribe's dances and other ceremonies.

Bald eagles feed on fish with their hooked beak and “catch” fish with their mighty orange talons.

They are found over much of North America, building enormous nests near wetland habitats.

These birds soar with a powerful presence reaching speeds more than 40 miles per hour, and can dive at a tremendous rate, at almost 100 miles per hour.

There is a winter bumper-crop of bird life right now on the lake. Flocks of floating coots, common merganser and seagulls abound, interspersed with pelicans.

Robins are seen now flitting on the lake's perimeters, and the ever-present blackbirds take wing, too.

There is nothing like winter bird watching on the lake.

Kathleen Scavone, M.A., is a retired educator, potter, writer and author of “Anderson Marsh State Historic Park: A Walking History, Prehistory, Flora, and Fauna Tour of a California State Park” and “Native Americans of Lake County.” She also writes for NASA and JPL as one of their “Solar System Ambassadors.” She was selected “Lake County Teacher of the Year, 1998-99” by the Lake County Office of Education, and chosen as one of 10 state finalists the same year by the California Department of Education.