I'm a notorious procrastinator. Can I really stick to the project? Can I post one photo a day for 365 days? The pressure is almost unbearable.

(I DID IT! I stuck to the original project and in 2010 I took two photographs every day, for two different groups! I'm going to continue to add 365 photos per year to this blog, but they probably will not be taken on consecutive days. That is too much to ask...)




Sunday, January 16, 2011

16/365 Bald Eagle


3/52 Bald Eagle, originally uploaded by phlegmmy.

What a HUGE lucky shot this was and lordy what a story.

Butch and I set off to Wal-Mart today and as we passed by the vernal pond on our road he spotted a Red-tailed Hawk just off the road. It was still there when we came back so we scooted home so I could grab my camera. We turned around, went back and I got several shots of the hawk. Poor Butch picked the wrong place to turn around and got stuck in a parking lot that we thought they kept plowed. As I was struggling to push, while he drove (backwards, but...) this nice guy stopped and helped and got us unstuck. Neither one of us was thinking that we should have given him something for helping us, although I did surprise him by giving him a big hug.

I had fallen in the snow several times trying to push the car so I was wet and as soon as we got home I got out of my wet clothes and Butch was lamenting the fact that he didn't think quick enough to give the guy 20 bucks or something. I jokingly said, maybe he was on his way to Wal-Mart and just on the outside chance, we said what the hell and drove back to Wal-Mart. I looked for the hawk, and on the same carcass was a BALD EAGLE. I'm yelling to Butch about it and of course--I have taken my camera back home. After cruising through Wal-Marts lot and not finding our savior (driving a hyundai with a cowboy hat in the back window) we headed home and the eagle was still there. So, again, we race home, grab the camera, go back to the pond and caught him just as he lifted off. The hawk was much less wary and never moved when I took pictures, but the eagle wasn't. Still, I never thought I would ever get a picture of a Bald Eagle.

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3 comments:

  1. LouiseJanuary 16, 2011 at 2:18 PM

    Holy Crow, Phlegmmy! That is one spectacular shot. I bet you're still high from seeing that bird. I hope you print it out and frame it. Or, have it made into note cards. They'd be spectacular.

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  2. PhlegmmyJanuary 16, 2011 at 6:03 PM

    I made a lot of noise this afternoon, over this bird. "A BALD EAGLE! A BALD EAGLE! Butch thought I had lost my mind. This photo was the second wingbeat as it lifted off. I'm going to keep my eyes peeled for this bird, and I hope it stays in the area.

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  3. UpupaepopsJanuary 16, 2011 at 6:05 PM

    Perfect story in every way

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