On the very first day of my 2015 visit to the USA, I was privileged to see these magnificent birds, and, over the following week, spent several hours watching them with my friend Trudey.

In 1782 the American Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) became the official bird emblem of the United States because of its majestic beauty, great strength, long life, and because it’s native to North America. It appears on the Great Seal of the United States, is stamped on the reverse of several American coins, and its image can be found in a multitude of locations, situations and media throughout the United States.

Trudey had been following this particular family from the time the three eaglets were born, about a week apart, in March. By the time I arrived, in mid July, the birds had fledged so were no longer on the nest. Luckily for us though, they were still spending most of their time in the immediate vicinity, in a park alongside the Fox River, in Wisconsin.

You can read more about these incredible birds on the Cornell Lab of Ornithology website.