Clouds can be a mixed blessing. Clouds can help diffuse the sunlight and eliminate harsh highlights. However, when the skies are as heavily overcast as they were for most of this past weekend, they can block so much light that details are hidden and contrast is really soft.
When I saw a bird with a large wingspan take flight in the distance, I readied myself. I wasn’t sure if it was a hawk, a vulture, or an eagle (or possibly even a heron), but I will generally try to get shots of any large bird I see in the sky. As I tracked the bird and took some shots, I still couldn’t positively identify the bird, but my hopes rose in anticipation that it might be a Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus).
Bald Eagles are one of the few species that I will try to photograph every single time that I manage to spot one. I did get some shots of what turned out in fact to be a Bald Eagle. They are recognizable, though the poor lighting conditions made it impossible to capture the details of its feathers. Usually I worry about blowing out the highlights of the eagle’s white head—that was not a problem this time.
I’ve had a pretty good year spotting eagles and suspect this might be the last one that I see in 2015, though I am heading out in a little while and am eternally hopeful that I will spot another one. As with many other photographic subjects, I hope in the coming year to get even better images of eagles, one of my favorite (and most challenging) subjects.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Mike Powell 
I live south of the Skagit River Valley in Washington which is a winter breeding ground for Bald Eagles so I have developed that same fascination with them that you have. I appreciate the shots you got given the difficulty you were working with…Have a wonderful 2016 Mike.
Thanks, Charlie. My spirits are lifted every single time I see a Bald Eagle. It must be great to live in an area in which they breed. Best wishes for a wonderful new year.
Fantastic photos of this majestic bird, Michael.
Thanks, Jet, for your overly generous comments. The eagle is truly majestic, but the images don’t really do him justice. Still, I am thrilled every single time I see a Bald Eagle.
It looks like you’re getting better at shooting moving targets, which is never easy.
Thanks, Allen. I think that practice has improved somewhat my tracking skills and the hand-to-eye coordination needed to shoot birds in flight. It’s still a real challenge and it helps when there is more light than was the case for this eagle (the camera needs contrast to focus).