My first Bald Eagle from up close in the Ottawa Area. Bald Eagles are quite scarce around here. We see them flying over the Ottawa River sometimes, but this is my first encounter with one perched in a tree at the edge of Mud Lake, a nature park in Ottawa. I first spotted it flying and hunting above the lake. It then perched in a distant tree, which took me about 10 minutes to get to. Lucky for me, it was waiting to have its picture taken.

PS: I've previously photographed Bald Eagles at both our East and West coasts, just never in the Ottawa area.