Yesterday morning I was making toast for breakfast when my phone rang. I almost didn’t pick up because I hate cold toast but when I saw that it was my friend and neighbor Shane Smith I relented and answered it. The first words out of his mouth were, “Are you home?” When I said yes, he said “There’s an eagle in our back yard trees!”
My primary camera and lens were sitting conveniently on my kitchen table but the eagle was too close for my big lens so I retrieved my ‘baby lens’ attached to my back up camera, which was in my pickup in my garage. That was a mistake, because for some reason – every last photo I took of the eagle was soft.
This is as close as I came to getting a sharp shot.
But it’s sharp enough to document what for me is an extraordinary event – a Bald Eagle in my back yard. That hasn’t happened since I took out my huge elm tree nearly six years ago. (The reason I’m late posting today is because I was hesitant to post such a mediocre photo).
I took this cell phone photo from inside my dining room (where I was when I took the first photo too) only seconds after the eagle flew off. The red rectangle marks where the eagle had been perched. It’s my neighbor’s tree but since that huge branch hangs directly over my shed, I think I can correctly say that the eagle was in my back yard.
Speaking of toast, if that branch ever falls, that’s what my shed will be – toast.
You can bet that I’ll be watching for the eagle to return to the tree. I’m determined to get better photos of it.
Ron
Houston. The Eagle has landed.
The focus may have been a little soft, but I suspect the pleasure of the encounter was as sharply felt as could be. What a sight!
Shoreacres, your suspicion is correct.
How wonderful! I get excited when I see the Cooper’s in my yard, or trees close by. We do have Eagles here but not in my backyard- at least I haven’t seen one. What a thrill to have it so close – and ANY photo of an Eagle is better than none. Thanks so much.
Thanks, Noel. I can thank the nearby Jordan River, and several associated ponds containing fish, for the occasional presence of Bald Eagles this time of year.
Very neat! I’ll trade you a spotted towhee for an eagle.
Not today, April. I’m perfectly happy with the eagle.
You have every right to claim it!! Still a great photo of a great bird!
Thanks.
Thanks, Judy.
Shot quality be damned! Post away! There’s a freaking Bald Eagle sitting over your shed!!! He’s a beaut too! VBG, as Dick would say!
You’ve mentioned that you’ve been envious of the Black Phoebes that hang out in my backyard. (There’s one that’s getting pretty sticky and will perch fairly close as long as the living room window is between us.) I can tell you for certain that I am at least twice as envious over your back yard Bald Eagles — and 10 times (or more!) envious of your encounters with Goldens in the wild! 😀 💕
Marty, as much as I like and admire Bald Eagles, I’m with you. Golden Eagles are always at the top of my list.
“There’s an eagle in our back yard trees!” Now there’s something you don’t hear every day. That is one for the backyard bird list for sure.
At least you got a documentation photo. And in my book that is good enough.
Michael, for me it’s good enough, but just for now.
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve looked for the eagle this morning. With no luck so far.
Oh, “soft” is just not the issue here…you’ve got an eagle…a Bald Eagle!! …in your backyard!! And you documented it! 🥳 That is one very handsome raptor, and I hope he comes to visit again soon. (I’m with you on the toast but sacrificed for a good cause!)
That’s how I felt, Chris. The most important thing is that I documented an eagle in my yard.
Was it soft because you were shooting through a glass door? I find that sometimes. It looks like they are coming to you. They must miss you out in the field.
“Was it soft because you were shooting through a glass door?”
No, Michael. I had the door open.
Cool! We had a large hawk perching in the yard yesterday – usually it’s a fly over or fly through. Never had an eagle do that!
Agree on cold toast! 😉
“Agree on cold toast!”
Judy, I’m a stickler when it comes to the temperature of my food. If it’s supposed to be hot, it has to be. If it’s supposed to be cold, it has to be.
I won’t eat soggy cereal either.
Very exciting! So glad it stayed long enough for you to get the smaller lens, even if you don’t like the quality of the photo. That’s a tall tree!
There’s been a RT hawk regularly perching on a tall lamppost on a street I travel everyday. Each time I see it I think of you, disapproving of the man-made perch, but glad for the presence of the hawk.
“That’s a tall tree!”
It is, Carolyn. But it’s significantly smaller, and shorter, than the one I had taken out. Mine was a monster.
Better to show it happened than to worry about the “soft” photo! Better even than warm toast!
What a remarkable occasion. Now if you lived in Alaska it would be
commonplace, but for most of us a Bald Eagle in the backyard is
really special. We have had Red-tails, Cooper’s very often, one Sharp-shined, a Kestrel, and a couple Merlins, but no
Eagles. While looking at the back fence once after a Red-tail had flown off I laughingly said, “Lord, if an Eagle lands there I will know it will be time for me to go.” So far no Eagle ever has so I am still here. 🙂
“So far no Eagle ever has so I am still here.”
Everett, if that’s the case I hope one never does.
Totally cool! Equal to the Coopers Hawk!
Thanks, John. At least equal to.
An eagle in my backyard tree is worth cold toast anytime.
Agreed, Cindy. Although I didn’t eat cold toast. That batch ended up in the garbage.