One of my Florida neighbors, shot Jan. 16, 2006Copyright 2006 Lydia Hinshaw
ORMOND BEACH, FL -- In Alaska, a big bird soaring high overhead is probably an eagle. Here in Florida, it's more likely to be the unattractive and unappreciated turkey vulture.
Although I recently spent five months in Alaska, saw and photographed way more eagles that I can count, the best eagle picture in my collection is one that I shot before I left.
For several weeks last winter I watched this bald eagle, who liked to preside from the dead top of a very large pine tree in the yard of a riverfront estate. The tree was much taller than its surrounding oaks, and I could always spot the eagle from some distance away before stalking the sidewalks and street nearby to try to get an unobstructed angle for my telephoto lens.
Then one day I looked for the eagle and discovered the tree wasn't there anymore. When I walked past, nothing was left but a circle of sawdust on the lawn. The owner had had the tree cut down, with good reason. It was big enough to have done considerable damage if it had fallen without expert help.
Although I watched the nearby trees daily, I didn't see the eagle again before I left in April, and hadn't thought of him (or her) for months until this week, when I looked up from my yardwork to see a big bird soaring overhead.
Buzzard, I thought. But something, maybe my Alaska experience, maybe a reluctance to get back to work, made me keep watching. The light hit the bird just so and I could see his white head. No buzzard this.
Of course I can't be sure that this eagle is the same one I photographed so many times back in January. But I like to think he is.
Although I recently spent five months in Alaska, saw and photographed way more eagles that I can count, the best eagle picture in my collection is one that I shot before I left.
For several weeks last winter I watched this bald eagle, who liked to preside from the dead top of a very large pine tree in the yard of a riverfront estate. The tree was much taller than its surrounding oaks, and I could always spot the eagle from some distance away before stalking the sidewalks and street nearby to try to get an unobstructed angle for my telephoto lens.
Then one day I looked for the eagle and discovered the tree wasn't there anymore. When I walked past, nothing was left but a circle of sawdust on the lawn. The owner had had the tree cut down, with good reason. It was big enough to have done considerable damage if it had fallen without expert help.
Although I watched the nearby trees daily, I didn't see the eagle again before I left in April, and hadn't thought of him (or her) for months until this week, when I looked up from my yardwork to see a big bird soaring overhead.
Buzzard, I thought. But something, maybe my Alaska experience, maybe a reluctance to get back to work, made me keep watching. The light hit the bird just so and I could see his white head. No buzzard this.
Of course I can't be sure that this eagle is the same one I photographed so many times back in January. But I like to think he is.
No comments:
Post a Comment