As an American, I feel a special affinity for the Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus), our national bird and one of our most visible national symbols. Eight months ago, I was privileged to witness the rescue of an injured bald eagle at my local marshland park and captured some of the best photos that I have ever taken.
This photo, which appeared originally on 4 November last year, seems particularly appropriate today, reminding that our liberty requires constant vigilance and that brave men and women across the globe are on duty today safeguarding that freedom.
If you would like to see additional photos or learn more of the eagle rescue, check out my earlier posting. That posting has been my most popular one ever, thanks in part to the fact that several media outlets used my photos in their on-line coverage and provided links to my blog. Unfortunately, this story ended tragically and the eagle’s injuries turned out to be so severe that this majestic bird was euthanized.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
This is a superb portrait of the eagle. It may be that I’m seeing the image through the lens of Independence Day but the foliage in the bottom right could almost be stars.
Thanks, Laura. Among the other amazing things about this shot was that the zoom lens that I was using only went out to 300mm, which is not all that long a focal length. I like the idea of the foliage as stars.
Nice shot of a beautiful bird. Happy 4th!
I remember your post about this and the story of the news media using your wonderful work. Such a sad ending for this austere and magnificent creature.