Yesterday I saw a bald eagle. It was a magnificent sight and one of those core memories I hope to never fade.

I have seen them from afar but have never seen one airborne that was so close. From afar, they look like a large bird of prey but it’s hard to appreciate just how large they are. My bird guide says their wingspan can reach from 6 to 7.5 foot! 

I came around a curve in time to see this magnificent creature flying across a field and over the road ahead of my car before turning to retrace its path back across the field toward a creek.

Friends, it was so close I could see its eyes. It was so close I had the sensation it could land on the hood of my car. It was so close that it felt like something miraculous was happening. 

How something this large can move so gracefully and so elegantly through the air is beyond me. The moment happened so fast and I was driving so I have no photographic evidence. In case you are not sure what a bald eagle looks like, here’s a stock image.

President Biden signed legislation on Christmas Eve that makes the bald eagle our national bird. It’s strange because I already thought it was the national bird so I’m glad that’s finally done.

The Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) says that January is a great time for spotting bald eagles. That’s because this is when they begin courtship and pair bonding. With the foliage gone, they’re easier to spot here in the heavily wooded hills. 

Have you seen a bald eagle in the wild? Tell me your story!