Sometimes when I’m driving to the Computer Mine in the morning I eat an apple for breakfast.
When I get out of my car I like to throw that apple into the woods before I descend into the Mine. I do this because I figure that the apple is better used by many of the woodland creatures that scurry around out there than it would be sitting and rotting in the garbage can next to my bench.
Today when I threw the apple I disturbed a crow. I love crows.
So I watched the crow fly up and out of the woods and into the Ames sky.
As I tracked his flight I noticed an abnormally large brown thing perched on a tree behind the mine. Then I noticed its white head.
I didn’t bring my camera to work today but I was able to borrow the camera of a fellow miner to snap off a few shots of the beast.
This is the first time that I have seen a bald eagle in Ames.
We were at West Towne Pub for lunch once and saw one in the middle of the frozen pond, but that's the only time I saw one – and it was a lot further away. This one is amazing.
What a beautiful & regal specimen he is! I haven't seen one up close in the wild since I was a teenager on a fishing trip to Canada. It's funny that about 2 weeks ago I thought I saw one soaring over the highway just before the University exit. At the time I convinced myself that it was probably just a hawk. Now I wonder?
Angie,
It would probably be more exciting to see a Sea Manatee at West Towne Pub, but not really likely. But then you could make your dream come true.
West Towne Pub is also an awful place to watch a game.
Dawn,
He is, but my dream of getting such a picture of a turkey vulture remains unfulfilled.
I'm surprised by how many people have reacted so strongly to this picture. It forced me to change my original plans of writing a blog about how I was trying to get a picture of a beautiful crow and this stupid eagle kept getting in the way.
well, you know, eagles do have big egos. He probably just assumed you there to photograph him.
I haven't been to Fraser on a regular basis for several years now, but at one time there was a turkey vulture that would hang out near the bridge. He had a habit of scavenging road kill right in front of my vehicle. Scary looking creatures those are! And actually related to the eagle if I remember correctly.
I find it a little bit difficult to think that there was ever a reason to go to Fraser on a regular basis. I mean besides the potent healing powers of the Fraser Spring.
Vultures scary? Perhaps, but magnificent. Not as cool as crows though.
For some reason the kids depended on me to rescue them every other Sunday from their familial connection in the defunct town. I won't deny that I had visions of Stephen King movies dancing through my head as I passed that vulture numerous times heading into town.
I will admit that I did enjoy an occasional jaunt into the woods searching for old mine shafts and following the train tracks & river.
I'll give you magnificent, but still scary. I can't say that I've given much thought to crows though. They serve their purpose, and quite well at that, but I fail to see the beauty in their flight and stature.