The Photograph

Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)

Named for the patch of brilliant white feathers around the top of their head, the Bald Eagle has been the national emblem of the United States since 1782. As with so many birds, Bald Eagles were critically endangered at one time largely due to DDT. However, like Brown Pelicans have completely rebounded and the Bald Eagle is now of low concern from a conservation perspective.

Typically Bald Eagles don’t hunt their prey, instead, they stick with piracy, stealing other bird’s catches, sometimes even directly from their talons. Quite the aerial acrobats, even practicing with other Eagles, they pass sticks and other objects to each other in midair. Occasionally, they take this cooperation to the hunt as well, flushing out prey to a second Eagle that is in position to strike.

For the first few years of its adult life, a Bald Eagle nomadically explores the world, sometimes traveling hundreds of miles per day.

Fun Facts: 1. The oldest known Bald Eagle lived to be at least 38 years old. 2. Did you know that the classic call that is attributed to Bald Eagles is actually the call of the Red-tailed Hawk? Bald Eagle calls are quite wimpy sounding, apparently deemed not resolute enough to be representative of the United States.

The Location

Winding Waters Wetlands

One of my more recent finds, Winding Waters is a magical area where I consistently see animals that I rarely see in other wildlife refuges and nature areas that I visit in Florida. I am always guaranteed to see a Limpkin, a bird I went almost 20 years without seeing until finding Winding Waters. Kites and Eagles flourish here too and a couple dozen other species are often found in a single walk through the preserve. It is located between Palm Beach Gardens and West Palm Beach, FL, and actually sits on the backside of one of the well known Florida “mountains.” Yes that would be a dump. However, it is far more breathtaking and enjoyable than that might lead one to believe. It also might be a reason that fewer people go to this nature area than many others and thus why there is so much unique life existing there.

THE FRAME

Bald Cypress (Taxodium distichum)

Bald Cypress, the giant of the swamp, is a stately, slow growing native of the southeastern United States. Very tough, it can adapt to thrive in a wide range of soils, including very briny, salty, and water soaked areas. Able to grow very tall, it has great stability at its base thanks to its “knees.” The tallest known Cypress was about 145 feet tall. All of the Bald Cypress I have used in my frames has come from different parts of Louisiana.