Haliaeetus leucocephalus

#28 - BlipBigYear 2014

Whoa.

I'm fairly certain I don't need to explain this bird to anyone...he's pretty famous. Yet I've never blipped one before. Why? Because I've never been nearly this close to one in the wild!

M and I were having a walk around the marsh this morning when a man with a deep southern drawl approached M about his fancy giant-lensed camera (that he uses to put my bird photos to shame) because he said there was a Bald Eagle in the tree above us. I was very skeptical of this, as I'd definitely never seen one at the marsh before--yet lo and behold, as we backed up to get a better view, there it was, not thirty feet up. We set up right there and watched it for over half an hour while it looked around...and around...and around. It ruffled its feathers at one point, which I didn't see because I was wandering around looking for a better angle, but M assured me it was very exciting. Just seeing this species in such intimate proximity was exciting enough for me.

...And so begins a more sparing patronage of Blip for me (2-3 times a week?) as the spring semester has begun and I am completely buried in assignments for what feels like the next eternity. I get to take Ornithology this time around, so that's excellent...though with three other classes it leaves little time for internet fun time. I'll try to keep up as best I can. The outpouring of kind words and hearts for my 2 year anniversary was totally overwhelming--I need to say thank you to all of you again for that.

Backblipped some special stuff as well:
- A super rarity!
- A fancy turnstone!
- An owl!!