The early morning sun was still low on the horizon last Tuesday when I spotted this Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge. The light at this time of the day is so warm, soft, and beautiful that I desperately wanted to get a shot of the eagle.
There was, however, one big problem—the eagle was looking away from me and the view of the back of its head was not very attractive. So I watched and waited and watched some more. Finally, the eagle made a quick glance over its shoulder, smiled, and seemed to ask if I was now satisfied. I was.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Mike Powell 
Haha! Cooperative bird! Beautiful shot, Mike!
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I can’t tell you, Mitzy, how many times I have telepathically urged birds to land in a particularly photogenic spot or to pose differently. Either they don’t receive my messages or they stubbornly refuse to cooperate. Whatever the case, I am super happy when they appear to do what I want them to do. 🙂
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I relate to the “telepathic attempts.” I can’t tell you how many times I have sat with camera poised willing a Heron to “Grab a fish…grab a fish!”
Glad he turned for you!
I too have had some long sessions with a heron and then missed the shot when it finally did strike. Ah, the “agony and ecstasy” of wildlife photography. 🙂
Love the ruffled feathers in this shot!
Your posts are evidence of significant patience, Mike. Perhaps the eagle made note of that and chose to accommodate so you’d move on?
Excellent details.
The light is very nice indeed, it lightens up the beak of the eagle.
Thanks. I too really like the way the beak almost glows in the light. 🙂
Gorgeous.
Thanks.
I love the look in the eagle’s eye; it looks like you caught it at the exact instant that it realized that you were there.
An eagle’s vision is far superior to mine, but it had been looking in the opposite direction, so I think you are right, Gary, that it did not know I was there. What is amazing, though, is that, after seeing me, it simply turned away from me and stayed in place.
Fabulous lighting, Mike! He really does have that look on his face, doesn’t he?!
It is always fun to try to interpret the expression on our subjects. As most viewers who have commented said, he looks smitten and she looks smug. 🙂