A “tired” bald eagle dad was observed—looking as though he were taking a break from parenting, relaxing in a tranquil park—by a local photographer who captured the bird’s bizarre poses.
Mark Koster saw the large raptor near his home in Scottsdale, Arizona, on Sunday, Feb. 18. The eagle is affectionately known by locals as Bandit.
With Chaparral Park right outside his front door, the former TV newsroom director wakes early every morning and heads to the park between 6:30 and 7:30 a.m. to spot and photograph spectacular birds.
Mr. Koster says he is willing to wait for the perfect shot. He recently turned his attention toward Bandit and his mate raising their newly hatched eaglets in their new nest.
Often, those perfect shots close in tightly to capture the character of the bird, and this was the case when Mr. Koster zoomed in on Bandit to show the eagle seeming to enjoy a moment of peace away from the nest.
“Bandit, our local male bald eagle, got away from his busy nest duties to take some time preening himself and some relaxation time,” Mr. Koster said.
Mr. Koster finds it a similarly relaxing experience to be able to visit the park every day, where he gets to walk about and enjoy the beauty of nature and wildlife.
His eyes are constantly moving, looking for the perfect shot, getting to know all of the different birds’ mannerisms. Even after capturing what he calls “the money shot,” though, he says he’s always looking for the next one.
But on this particular day in February, he came away pleased with some stunning photos of Bandit the bald eagle dad taking a break.
The male raptor may have been just grooming his feathers, but a little imagination never hurt anyone. There’s a reason this lonesome perch probably seemed so appealing to Bandit.
“Their nest has an eaglet or two just recently hatched. In these photos you can see him cleaning his feathers and just resting away,” the photographer said. “He is quite a character.”
