National American Eagle Day

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Each year on June 20, National American Eagle Day honors our national symbol, the bald eagle and raises awareness about protecting the majestic raptor. This awareness day also encourages the recovery of their eagle’s natural environments while providing educational outreach on how to keep eagles safe.

I have a few bald eagle photos I like in my portfolio and these seems like a good time to share them. I’ll start with this shot I captured at the Turtle Bay Exploration Park in Redding California on a spring morning. There is a pair that nests there each year that have been dubbed Liberty, the female and her mate Guardian. Someone more “in the know” about these birds thinks this is probably Liberty but it’s tough to be positive. Whichever one it was, I saw it fly by me carrying a branch for nest building. It dropped said branch and immediately made a u-turn. I captured this frame right as it was flying directly toward me and fairly low to the ground in the golden light. A moment after this shot, the big raptor rammed into a dead branch in a nearby tree, breaking it off with a loud CRACK before continuing on its mission. Alas, there was too much foliage between me and that event to get a shot but I have the memory and until then assumed they gathered fallen brush for their nests so I learned something too.

Close-up view of a bald eagle in mid-flight at Turtle Bay Exploration Park in Redding, California, its wings stretched wide and angled as it makes a sharp turn. Warm morning light illuminates the bird’s white head, intense yellow eyes, and detailed brown flight feathers. The eagle’s focused, forward gaze and sweeping wing posture create a dramatic, powerful moment against a soft blue sky.

I saw this beauty flying parallel to Mapes Road in Lassen County not far from my home. It was flying toward the late day sun and I got two frames of it that I like.

Bald eagle flying low over high-desert terrain near Janesville, California, its wings stretched level as warm late-day light illuminates the white head and yellow beak. Soft golden tones highlight the layered brown feathers while the blurred desert shrubs and distant mountains form a muted backdrop. The eagle’s steady, forward gaze and smooth glide create a calm, powerful scene in the fading December sun.
Bald eagle flying low over the high desert near Janesville, California, wings angled upward and catching warm late-day light. The golden tones highlight the bird’s white head, yellow beak, and layered dark brown feathers as it cuts through a soft blue sky. The eagle’s focused gaze and streamlined posture create a crisp, powerful profile against the muted desert and distant ridgeline.

Mapes Road and that general area, near the Honey Lake Wildlife Refuge is probably the most common place I see bald eagles. I had a bit of a stare down with this youngster, probably a 4 year old bird as it is just almost in adult coloration. It sat on this branch giving me the “stink eye” for a bit before its sibling swooped in and unceremoniously knocked it off its perch. Kids!

Young bald eagle perched on a bare tree branch in Lassen County, California, facing the camera with a direct, intense stare. Its developing plumage shows a mix of dark brown body feathers and a mottled, not-yet-solid white head, slightly tousled by the breeze. Warm light highlights the layered feathers and strong talons gripping the dry branch, set against a smooth gray-blue sky for a clean, detailed portrait.

I’ll close with a couple from the Lower Klamath Wildlife Refuge in Siskiyou County. There is an established nest there as well. The powers-that-be have signs posted requiring visitors stay in vehicles while driving by the area. Fortunately, my wife’s car has a moon roof so I was able to stand on the seat and get a couple shots on this chilly spring morning (if you’ve been there during cool weather, you know what I mean – that wind had a BITE that morning!)

Bald eagle perched on a tree branch in warm golden hour light at the Lower Klamath Wildlife Refuge in Siskiyou County, California. The eagle’s white head glows against the blue sky while its rich brown plumage is illuminated by the early sunlight. Bare branches frame the scene as the bird looks intently to the right, its talons gripping the branch.
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