If I were to bundle up the photos I feel most lucky to have photographed, these photos would surely be in that selection. Few things embody the quintessential American spirit like a bald eagle. Most folks haven’t had the rare opportunity to be up close and personal with the iconic bird in the wild. I’ve had quite a few chances, but none I was able to capture so clearly. It’s a moment worth one thousand words and, in my case, actually, 347 photos.
One afternoon, while ice fishing
on a lake that shall remain nameless, we were counting our catch and tossing
around the idea of heading home. Cumulatively, we had seven trout in the
bucket. The hour was 11 a.m. The coffee had dried up hours ago, along with my
energy. Luckily, we had found a few schools and chased flags all morning. One
thing was different about this morning: We had unique visitors.
For 90 minutes we held the
attention of a bald eagle as he sat comfortably and eyed our future fillets
from 20 yards away. Taking to the air occasionally, he’d choose a new
landing spot as if trying to convince us to offer a free meal. To be honest, I
wasn’t sure if it was legal – so we withheld. We all left feeling lucky to have
sat in such good company. Enjoy the photos and feel free to share this post
with friends, or email me for high-resolution digital files for printing ($30;
rhonbell@gmail.com).
The Battle Between the Bird and the Auger
Full wing span
Kicking Up Snow and Taking Flight
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