COEUR d'ALENE — Michael Quinn stood at the front of a Lake Coeur d'Alene boat cruise Saturday afternoon and looked on as a bald eagle swooped down from its perch.

Sporting a hat with an eagle, globe and anchor, the erstwhile Marine and 73 other military veterans saw the majestic bird soar before snatching an unsuspecting salmon from the chilly waters near Mineral Ridge.

The Bureau of Land Management, in partnership with the Idaho Department of Fish and Game and Lake Coeur d’Alene Cruises, put on its annual free-of-charge event for veterans, active personnel and their families so they could get a closer look at the nation's symbolic bird.

"It was nice that they pointed out the veterans," said Quinn, who served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1964-67. "We like to see the wildlife, and the symbolism of the eagle was nice, too. We learned a lot about the eagles."

There were two eagle-watching cruises Saturday, the second cruise totaling 156 people who took in the two-hour event, which featured plenty of eagle sightings and a slew of information from Idaho Fish and Game Education Specialist Beth Paragamian.

"Did you know there are 59 types of eagles but only two are in North America?" Paragamian said as she showed off various taxidermied eagles to people aboard the cruise while getting the children involved.

Teaching veterans about the bird they revere was a rewarding experience, Paragamian said.

"For the vets this is kind of a special thing because of their service to the country. We try to work the different branches of the service with the eagle as a symbol of the United States," Paragamian said.

Every branch of military was represented on the afternoon cruise — Army, Marines, Navy, Air Force and Coast Guard — serving in wars ranging from World War II, Vietnam to Iraq.

John McRae, who served in the Army in the 1960s, felt fortunate for the invitation.

"We just appreciate the offer and getting vets out here," McRae said. "Because back in California during the Vietnam era, we were told to take our uniform off and not wear it because of people."

"We enjoyed watching the eagles in Alaska, but it's also neat to see them in our little corner of the world."