Students Maggie Martin (left) and Allison Stuart count bald eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) from the Klehini River Bridge, near the Porcupine Crossing turnoff. The weekly count of bald eagles is conducted during the fall by students at Haines High School as a citizen science class project. Since 2009, students have been conducting a weekly count of bald eagles during the fall semester for the citizen science class at the Haines School. The project is part of a field-based for-credit class, sponsored by the Takshanuk Watershed Council, in which students participate in research studies and learn about field data collection. Under the guidance of Pam Randles, Takshanuk Watershed Council Education Director, students count bald eagles in the Chilkat River Valley using spotting scopes at 10 locations and present their data at the Bald Eagle Festival held in November in Haines. During late fall, bald eagles congregate along the Chilkat River to feed on salmon. This gathering of bald eagles in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve is believed to be one of the largest gatherings of bald eagles in the world.