As I was browsing for a picture to post today, it occurred to me I hadn’t shared any from this series from last December. Taken at a nest site southwest of Denver, the pair of eagles put on a fantastic show that day. Among the highlights were the male catching a trout and allowing me to get some cool shots of it as it ate. Its mate was circling nearby, raising a ruckus, but, as you can tell, he had no intention of sharing his hard-earned breakfast. Have a great weekend, everyone!

Take our fantastic national emblem with its stunning plumage and throw in those impossibly blue Colorado skies and you have a great scene.

With us being in the height of summer, I am going through bald eagle withdrawals as it seems like forever since I have had a quality photo session with one. Thankfully I have plenty of pictures from last season to go through, like this one, and in a couple short months, we should start seeing the seasonal eagles return.

Have a great #FreedomFriday.

This young bald eagle nailed its targeted landing spot. Taken on a very, very cold morning at the beginning of March, I had the privilege of spending it watching dozens of eagles as they fueled up and readied for their migration. The action was near continuous and I was absolutely giddy to say the least.

While I would have preferred a less obstructed view of this touch down and better light, I like this shot because of the position the wings are in, really showcasing that 6 foot wingspan of these majestic creatures. Have a fantastic Freedom Friday!

With all three of her eaglets now flying, this pretty lady can take it a little bit easier. Having said that, the lessons for the young ones have not ended. Here, she uses hanging out on the ground to encourage her not-so-little-ones to venture away from the nest. It worked too because all three visited spots along the shore of the lake, exploring their world and gaining valuable knowledge as soon they will be entirely on their own. While I would have liked a more full view of this pretty lady, I liked the morning light on her. Have a fantastic #FreedomFriday.

Well, what critter would you expect me to share on the 4th of July?

My love of bald eagles is well known and certainly documented on this page. There has always been something about them. Originally, perhaps their rarity as before their recovery, few people ever saw them. Then, it took on new meaning when I served in the Navy whose seal proudly has the eagle.

I don’t think it was until after that I actually saw my first bald eagle for real and while seeing one now is quite common, I still get a thrill every time. Today, on the day we celebrate our nation’s independence, it is hard to envision a more fitting creature to serve in such a dominant role in our iconography.

This was a first for me – three young eagles getting close to fledging. I have photographed nests with two, most often with only one. To have three survive to this stage is somewhat rare and a real treat to see.

This nest is a good ways away from me so I don’t visit it regularly but lacking any better ideas for my Sunday outing, I checked it out. It was slightly breezy which made for prime conditions for the trio to test out their wings and all did but they aren’t quite ready to fledge yet. One did catch some air while hopping up and down flapping which was fun to see although it seemed kind of surprised at its success.

National Bald Eagle Day is every June 20th and set aside to not only honor our national emblem, but also to raise awareness about the need to continue to protect these majestic animals. While they have made an amazing recovery thanks to conservation, there is still work to be done to ensure their continued survival.

Early American poet Joseph Rodman Drake wrote, “And they who for their country die shall fill an honored grave, for glory lights the soldier’s tomb, and beauty weeps the brave.” It is for the men and women who fill those honored graves that we celebrate Memorial Day today.

Take time to remember those who have made the ultimate sacrifice in service to this Great Nation. Bow your head, say a prayer, thank God for them and teach your children about them, teach them what today’s holiday is really about.

A fun shot from February when this eagle and its mate spent several weeks hanging out in one particular area not far from their nest. They were always putting on a show as you can see here when this one moved from one pole to another, looking just amazing as it did.

I don’t get many pics of my favorite photo subject this time of year so this one goes back to mid-February. A pair of mated bald eagles with a nest a couple miles away had taken to frequenting a set of poles not far from Denver International Airport. For more than a month, they were reliable visitors and provided me with some great pics. Here, one of them leaps into the air on a mission to try to steal a rabbit from its mate on adjacent pole. It wasn’t successful but it did give me some cool captures. Have a great weekend, everyone!

Like this bald eagle, I am laser focused on getting through the workday today and making it to the weekend.

Going back to the end of February for this pic of this beautiful lady. She gave me a ton of great poses and flight shots on a bone-chillingly cold winter day making it totally worth suffering through the conditions.

I normally don’t like having so many trees branches as they can be distracting but she was so amazingly pretty and that look, wow!