Today’s photo and posting are from Pat Duffy!
Living here amongst all the beauty that is the northwoods, one has a tendency to forget to appreciate what we have around us. Each morning as walk across the street to get the morning newspaper, I make it a point to remind myself of the incredible natural beauty we enjoy here in Burnett County.
It amazes me that Ben Franklin considered, even for an instant, the Wild Turkey as our national bird. If there is a more majestic creature than the Bald Eagle, I have yet to see it. I am particularly awe struck each time I see a Bald Eagle. So much so that about a year ago I started keeping track of each eagle I see, which truthfully happens almost daily in this area. I feel cheated if I don’t get to see one each day, but usually it works out so that I get to see at least seven in any given week. As dumb as this might sound, I keep track of them by the day of the week. Yesterday I encountered my most incredible “Sunday Eagle” yet!
Usually the eagles I see are soaring high above the Earth, or maybe on the ground cleaning things up. On the rare occasion I see one perched up in a tree, I always stop and attempt to get a picture or two. Typically, the eagles are very leery and camera shy and fly off before I can even get my camera turned on and ready. I usually consider myself lucky if I get one or two relatively distant shots.
Yesterday was a different story. While my wife Kathy and I were heading down the road, I spotted an eagle perched in a tree along the roadside. I quickly stopped the car and the two of us found ourselves staring directly across the road at this magnificent bird. I quickly grabbed my camera, quietly put the car into park, rolled the window down and began shooting pictures.
This particular bird gave me the photo op of my lifetime! I was able to shoot over sixty shots as he was not camera shy like the others. In fact, I stopped shooting only because I chose to stop.
I hope to some day have another opportunity like this one, but am doubtful it will happen. I am grateful for the chance I had and will continue, for as long as I am able, to search for my daily Eagle.