There are always rare moments that you only capture in its fleeting nature. That is, you cannot relive the moment, and once it happens, it happens really quickly.
When birds of prey land on our roof, or visit the trees where they might find a snack, it happens so quickly that you cannot get the camera ready quickly enough. So, I always leave these moments uncaptured, living in the moment, and just letting it go.
But there are these moments where the fleeting nature still there, is only momentarily extended, giving you just enough time to capture moments that few will ever see.
I took some photographs of the Long-crested Eagle, or I think it is this eagle, and the close ups were rather striking, capturing the bird's death stare and its fierce nature.
Unfortunately, the reason why these birds can be captured this close up, is because something happened to them and they cannot be released back into the wild. The wild can be beautiful but it is always brutal.
Here, I want to share with you the beauty of this eagle, up close, and personal.
The above photograph shows the handler handling the bird. Again, it is sad to see these birds of prey reduced to show-things, but it is also important work they are doing. But when we think about it for a while, a while too long, the gravity of the situation hits us like a freight train.
But as I said, the work they are doing is important. These birds are kept alive, and safe. In the wild, they would have died instantly. Here, they can teach, they can possibly bread new birds, or help birds that do not have parents. The situation is sad, period. But in this sad situation, they can help to some extent and degree.
By photographing them, in some sense, I can also help spread awareness of the situation. Not in any big way, but we can begin a discussion, a strange way in which we can make this topic relevant. The powers that be, the system that we find ourselves in, is of such a nature that we as individuals cannot really do anything. But if I can photograph them, at these events, and illustrate their beauty, maybe we can begin to plant seeds...
In the end, the beauty of these magical creatures always touches my heart. I am not always sure if I like these feelings. But I am just happy that I could witness them so close up, and that my camera also actually worked. Sometimes my autofocus does not play along, but here it worked.
For now, I hope you enjoyed these photographs and that you could think along with me about their situation.
All of the photographs used in this post are my own, taken with my Nikon D300 and Tamron 300mm zoom lens. The musings and writings are also my own, albeit inspired by the beauty and magical aura of these birds of prey.