This was a fun, fast encounter with North America’s biggest raptor. While photographing far smaller creatures at the 12,000+ foot top of Trail Ridge Road in Rocky Mountain National Park Sunday, my friend pointed out a large bird flying by just above the edge of the cliff.
I quickly threw my camera up and seeing the white tail, said ‘bald eagle.’ But, as I continued to track it and saw the golden mane and exclaimed, “No, golden!” The picture isn’t really on par with other pics I have gotten of goldens but just to see one is a treat, especially in that rarified high-altitude air.
With the amount of white on the tail, this golden eagle is likely between one and two years old. Over the next couple of years, that white on the tail will get smaller an be replaced by brown. Once it is five years old, it will be fully brown.
