When I noticed a large bird fly into view and settle onto a high branch of the tallest tree alongside the river.. I could tell by it's wings and tail, and where it landed, that this was no ordinary bird. I continued my photowalk that day, but kept my eye on the bird. The heavy beak of it's profile confirmed that it was a bald eagle--it just hadn't matured into it's white head and tail feathers yet.
A friend had accompanied me on this walk and we were about to move on, but I vowed to myself I would return the next day to see if the eagle would, too. It made perfect sense to see it 'here', as a nest was just over a hill to a quiet nearby lake. And come to think of it, I had seen this eagle at this very spot before, but it just didn't register with me at the time.
Making good on my promise, I returned the next day--and so did the eagle!
I was unprepared at how quickly I would see it, and was in the middle of attaching my camera to my tripod when the eagle flew right in front of me, but I got a distant shot.
Unsatisfied, I planned on returning, yet again, to this spot along the river the next day, hoping once again, that the eagle would too.
My day at work passed slowly, as I waited all day to return to the river. Finally, mid-afternoon I returned. It took me just moments of scanning the scene to locate the immature eagle perched on a tree in the distance.
I kept my eye on the eagle for about 90 minutes, looked away for a moment, and then saw it was gone! I was dismayed! However, to my relief, it returned to the same tree--this time with a fish in it's talons. It had only been fishing! It consumed the fish, then took to the skies again.
Tracking it from below, turning my body in the opposite direction, I noticed with excitement that the juvenile had caught up with an adult eagle which had been soaring behind me, up in the bright blue sky.
The began flying with synchronicity, putting on an aerial display and doing things like clipping wings and tumbling .
Another adult eagle which had been soaring even higher above the original two, came into sight. I watched the family soaring together for a few minutes until they rose higher and higher, eventually turning into just mere dots way up in the sky, until totally disappearing from sight. I waited a while longer, hoping they'd return closer to Earth, which they didn't--but I left feeling very satisfied and joyful.
Laura - Love the photos and the wonderful story that unfolded. I certainly admire your tenacity and patience to capture this flying family.
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