In the early morning hours above Huntley Meadows Park, all kinds of birds are flying about, like this immature Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) that I spotted yesterday.
A year ago, I probably would have guessed that this was a hawk, but my identification skills have improved somewhat and I can tell this is an eagle. Given that it takes about five years for a Bald Eagle to mature, I’d guess that this one is about two to three years old, though I defer to more expert birdwatchers on this point.
As you can probably tell, the eagle was moving from right to left as I tracked it over the treetops. I was shooting over a small pond at a pretty good distance in early morning light that was not yet bright, so my ISO was cranked up a bit. I especially like the shots that include the trees. Although I will try to photograph an eagle every time I see one, I think it is a nice extra when I manage to include part of the surroundings in the shot.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Mike Powell 
Nice shots. I saw one in a tree along a river recently but he saw me too and immediately took off. I didn’t even have time to think about getting a photo, but he was big!
Nice capture Mike. Do you fond it easier to pan to the left?
I find it easier to pan when a subject is flying parallel to me rather than flying away from me at an angle. It seems easier for me to maintain tracking and focus. The most difficult time is when a subject is flying directly toward me.
Awesome shot. Wow, I would have guessed it was a hawk, too.