Photo of the Day: Freedom Cry
The majestic bald eagle is once again thriving in the nation it symbolizes. When I lived in Colorado, just outside of Steamboat Springs, I had the most wonderful nature-filled commute. In the space of 10 miles or so, I saw an incredible variety of slam-on-the-brakes scenes with the passing of the seasons. Herds of elk in the hundreds in fall, Sandhill cranes with their chicks in spring and Redtail hawks hunting in fields of fresh cut summer hay. One winter morning, I noticed some activity in the branches of a dead tree that large birds often perched in. As I got closer, I saw that this time it was a pair of bald eagles. The fully fledged adult, which I assumed to be the mom, was standing on the topmost tree limb and seemed to be scolding her mostly brown offspring. I made up the content of the conversation in my head as I scrambled to set up my camera and tripod. "Time to move out and make your own way in this world, son," it seemed she was saying. I fired off dozens of frames as the lecture continued. This one is the best of the bunch. I opened the gallery a little late that day, but it was well worth it.