Bald Eagle - Sheffield Mills, NS
Year End 2021
The tradition is for me to post my favourite or most meaningful photograph at the end of the year, and so for this year’s choice I am showing a Conservation photograph that is both a success and meaningful personally.
The image is of a Bald Eagle taken last February at the Eagle Watch event in Kings County, Nova Scotia. Every year, the farmers of the Eastern Annapolis Valley put out feed for the birds, which has a two-fold effect – it holds the birds in the area, and it also allows a much larger number of birds to be around, due to the abundance of food.
This year’s Eagle Watch also was the first time grandson Theo accompanied us on the trip, and it was fascinating to see an 8 year old sitting on the roadside mesmerized by this eagle sitting a mere 50 meters or less away in a tree on the edge of a field. The bird held Theo’s interest for more than 15 minutes, we had to almost literally drag the boy away. A budding scientist, I think.
When we lived in the Valley near Canning we had a pair of eagles on the property, they nested there and we often saw young birds during the late summer. Come winter, the young would fly off to parts unknown, but late in March or so, the adults would return. Now, with the feeding program, we know the young don’t have to go far, and the area has many more eagles than when I lived there as a teenager.
For 2022, I wish all a happy and healthy New Year – and here’s to more Conservation efforts to help save our amazing planet and all the creatures we share our home with.
