Not the usual type of eagle I share on Freedom Friday but certainly worthy of it.
Taken at the end of March after what had been a pretty dismal photo excursion. The morning simply had not yielded much of note so when my friend and I came across this golden eagle, we were keen on making the most of the opportunity. The eagle, however, was going to make us wait. And wait. And wait.
It didn’t seem too inclined to take flight but thankfully it was a relatively mild morning so I turned my truck around, put the tailgate down to provide us a seat, and we decided no matter how long it took, we were going to wait and do our best to ‘get the shot.’ An hour later, the moment finally came and it was kind enough to give us hints it was ready to go so we were ready.
Of the 20 or so shots I captured of it launching and departing, I think this is my favorite. I love the aggressive posture, the hint of those deadly talons and, of course, that beautiful, golden mane. Patience may be a virtue and not one I am known for (ask my wife!) but this time it paid off.