I got an eagle on the 12th hole at Mapleridge Golf Course~!!

I can't say it enough times.  Being a golfer and rarely getting a birdie never mind ever having had an 'eagle'...   I just have to say it.  I think it's funny. 

It is always good though if people know golf…. an eagle is even better than a birdie in golf for you non golfers. Two strokes less than the par on the hole. However …. it was not a golfing eagle…but, it was definitely on the golf course…. definitely on the 12th hole.  I had to race over there and sneak through a neighbour's back gate to get onto the course… 

I noticed a guy walking on the street… and, then..he seemed to be taking a picture of a rental house a few down from us...  ..but, why would he do that I thought?   So I watched him and then..on he went…but, I kept looking over there and all of a sudden noticed a big bird in the trees above and behind the house.  And, I saw some stark white on it.  I knew right away what it was!  I dashed out with my camera and yelled at Greg that I saw an eagle.

Went into Luisa’s back yard (directly across from us) and all I saw was a thousand branches..so sprinted down to Cathy’s…rang the doorbell and nobody answered..so 'round the back I trotted and out onto the course…nobody was on the holes… so down three houses I went… and, he was still sitting in the tree!.  Oh, man…I was so excited I could hardly focus..and, forgot that the Expressive Colour setting was still on so it interferes with the shutter speed.  But, even though he was high up in the tree I managed to get some decent shots.  He stayed put.  The wind was blowing pretty hard so it was tricky to stand still and I was cursing under my breath hoping I got enough shots that a few were focused and clear ..I can’t see the viewfinder very well now.. and, certainly can’t tell if things are blurry or not  ….  I took enough shots by the time some golfers showed up and they probably wouldn’t have cared anyway if they knew I was taking photos of something ..especially that… 

But, it was cold .. and I had enough so I left.  At one point he looked directly at me … and, I did wonder if I was making him a bit annoyed… and, hoped he wouldn’t fly by and bop me on the head when he left….  but, he stayed put for ages.  I quickly went home..and uploaded the photos to the computer so that I could see if they were good enough…because I could have gone back to try again.  He was still there.  The river is close by..so he could have been hunting I suppose…or ..he could be a migrating one…. just resting or just having found some food at the river…who knows… but, I have never seen one.  This was a lifetime opportunity…. so lucky.

Here he is … he was about 60 feet up in the tree…. so almost too far for my little 300 lens… but, I cropped them…and made him closer.

He looks pretty fierce in this one… and, the last rays of sun behind him are nice in this shot… 

    Then, he looked right at me…. 

But, in the close up….awww..he doesn’t look fierce at all…just almost …a bit sad or something..  ….. maybe he was wishing I would go away…. 

Anyway…just wanted to show you my eagle….. and tell you the story…..what an amazing creature….and, so BIG…. unbelievable … I couldn't talk about anything else for the rest of the week!