When I was recently asked to paint a portrait of a Bald Eagle I was thrilled with the opportunity. The collector had photographed an eagle up high in a tree in Kiawah, SC and thought he’d like something similar painted on a large scale for their home. I mentioned that I have taken thousands of eagle shots over the years and I would be happy to look through my archives to find a similar scene that I could work from that was close enough to have all of the detail that I needed.

So, I went looking back through my Eagle Album on my computer and it took me down memory lane. When we lived in Williamsburg, Virginia I used to walk along the James River almost daily with my camera when I knew the eagles were active. I would sometimes make it early in the day when the sun was rising before I started painting. Or, after work as the sun was getting low was also a great time to get out and spot these majestic, large birds of prey.

Every time I spotted an eagle, even when soaring way too high to get a good shot, I would get a thrill. After all, the American Bald Eagle is our national bird. It is considered a sacred bird in Native American culture, thought of as a messenger between God and humans. It has a wingspan of 6-8 feet, and is a symbol of strength and determination.

Its eyesight is four times that of humans, and they can see forward as well as sideways at the same time. They can spot fish from hundreds of feet up and small mammals from over a mile away!

Other birds fear them for they are fierce fighters, sporting talons anywhere from 1-2 inches long.

I noticed over the years that they love to perch on the tallest of trees, usually overlooking bodies of water in which they find a major food source, fish. So on my daily walks I would constantly be searching the wooded areas along the James River, over time learning specific locations that they would most likely be.

Some eagles were more easily spooked than others. Many flew away before I could get close enough to take a good photograph of them. Others would let me get directly below them, as we met eye to eye. The eye to eye encounters were always energizing. I could always tell that they were assessing the danger level. They are keenly aware of all that surrounds them.

The most I ever spotted over the James River in the air at the same time were 8 eagles! It was an indication that the eagle population was on the rebound in the area.

The closest I ever came to one was within a few feet. I was walking a dirt path around the bend of the river with deep woods all around me. It was eerily quiet. I happened to look up at the same moment I saw a large eagle swoop down right at me, as if to scare or intimidate me. I could hear the loud swoosh of the powerful wings buzzing by my head. It flew off out over the water and circled back overhead. I think he was letting me know this was his territory!

Usually they nest up high in coniferous or hardwood trees, 50-135 feet high. But, this one time I spotted a large nest in a Bald Cypress tree maybe 20 yards offshore, so I decided to stand perfectly still camouflaged in the woods to see if by chance an eagle or osprey might land. It was early in the morning and the fog was just lifting. I was beginning to think I was wasting my time, when there was a surprise appearance of an eagle coming right toward me along the surface of the water. It swooped straight up to the nest and as I started photographing its landing I noticed it had a large eel in its talons. It happened in a flash, creating one of my most memorable birding moments.

I’ve seen eagles and ospreys fighting and chasing each other over fish. I’ve seen mature eagles in aerial combat with younger eagles. I’ve spent hours watching them groom themselves and sunning on favorite perches.

On a number of occasions I’ve been fortunate enough to witness the interaction between pairs of eagles. Eagles are monogamous birds, mating for life. They will call each other in what is an obvious screeching noise and then end up together on the same branch to watch the sun go down. They will sometimes fly in tandem soaring high into the sky, so high that you can barely spot them.

My eagle outings continue now that we live in South Carolina. This spring was the best so far as far as the number of eagles spotted.

My painting, American Bald Eagle, depicts a large mature Bald Eagle high up in a stately tree, with an “eagle-eye” looking out over its territory. The painting is 36” by 30” with the eagle having a commanding presence. I drew on my personal experiences to hopefully create a lifelike representation of this proud bird that we all so admire.

*American Bald Eagle,* oil painting by William R. Beebe

Thank you for reading my journal and for your interest in my art. I am currently finishing up a large Brown Pelican portrait. If you would like to leave a comment regarding my blog I’d love to hear from you.

“One of the joys of being an artist is having the freedom to follow my passion….”

— William R. Beebe

His Majesty ~ The American Bald Eagle