This photo of a juvenile bald eagle was taken on the very first day Melodi and I took our “new” kayaks—garage sale finds—out on the water. Knowing we’d be paddling near a wildlife sanctuary, there was no way I was leaving my camera behind.
Off in the distance, we spotted what looked like a young eagle bathing at the river’s edge. We paddled slowly, not wanting to startle it. To our surprise, it stayed put and let us get close enough for me to capture a few solid shots at 200mm. After getting a few frames, we backed off, watching as the eagle moved between the shoreline and a partially submerged stump.
Juvenile bald eagles face tough odds—many don’t make it to adulthood due to starvation, disease, or human interference. That made it all the more important for us to keep our distance and avoid causing any stress.
There are two versions of this image: the one you see here, and a wider shot showing the eagle perched on the stump in the water.
Location: Ridgefield, WA.
