FEASTING EAGLE

When my brother was visiting a week ago, we saw an eagle in a distant tree, but it stayed out of photography range the whole time. 

I returned to the same area later in the week, and the eagle's unmistakable shape told me it was still hanging around.  I wondered what the attraction was.

It was too far away to get the kind of detailed shots I prefer, but I still felt excitement build as I drove off and hoped the eagle would come closer next time I came by.

  On my next pass, the eagle was sitting in a field, much closer to the road.  It was staring intently at something I assumed was some kind of prey.  How right I was as someone had dumped the carcasses of four deer at the edge of the field.

 

While I watched the ever-vigilant eagle looking in all directions, my mind also focused on where those deer had come from.  It was upsetting not to know the story behind how the deer carcasses had suddenly arrived in that spot.

  The eagle stared at me with those pale yellow eyes, which told me the bird was a young adult.  Its beak was also unmarked, another sign of the youth of this bird.

The eagle continued to focus most of its attention towards the deer.  What a handsome bird this was!  While I enjoyed watching the bird close up, I knew it was only a matter of time before it took flight.

  In an instant, the eagle took to the air.  It was thrilling to see, but what a challenging transition it was for this photographer!

  Off it went and was soon out of range.  It didn't return so I called it a day, but it was an exciting adventure nevertheless.