From time to time I come upon bald eagles on the Mount Vernon Trail. Today, while test riding my new Velo Orange touring pedals, I hit the trail south of where I live. I picked the trail up just south of Fort Hunt Park. About a half mile before reaching Mount Vernon, I passed a woman standing on the trail and looking up into the trees. As I passed I made eye contact and said, "Bald eagle?" She said "I dunno." I kept riding and thought, when she sees one, she'll know.
About 90 minutes later I was retracing my route. I came to an elevated boardwalk section of the trail just south of Fort Hunt Park. There were five or six people looking up into a tree that was arched over the boardwalk. I glanced up and RIGHT there was a big bald eagle. He was between 15 and 20 feet up in the tree and doing his regal scanning thing. The trail here is about 15 feet above the river bank so my little friend was perfectly situated to check out the menu at the Potomac Fish Market.
I took a few pictures and started to walk underneath to see if I could get an interesting angle. Splat! I think he took offense! Bald Eagle poo is a lot like pigeon poo, white and liquid. Thankfully, he missed me. Not finding a better shot, I rode off. As I did with my back to the eagle, a passing cyclists said that he just took off.
I think the pedals passed the test..
About 90 minutes later I was retracing my route. I came to an elevated boardwalk section of the trail just south of Fort Hunt Park. There were five or six people looking up into a tree that was arched over the boardwalk. I glanced up and RIGHT there was a big bald eagle. He was between 15 and 20 feet up in the tree and doing his regal scanning thing. The trail here is about 15 feet above the river bank so my little friend was perfectly situated to check out the menu at the Potomac Fish Market.
I took a few pictures and started to walk underneath to see if I could get an interesting angle. Splat! I think he took offense! Bald Eagle poo is a lot like pigeon poo, white and liquid. Thankfully, he missed me. Not finding a better shot, I rode off. As I did with my back to the eagle, a passing cyclists said that he just took off.
I think the pedals passed the test..
Thanks for sharing...I especially like the 2nd photo - look at the talons on that guy!
ReplyDeleteSo awesome. (And I mean that in the traditional, and not colloquial, way.)
ReplyDeleteFantastic. If the leaves were on the trees, you never would have seen that fellow. Kinda makes you wonder what is going on up there during most of the year.
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