Today I thought I would post an image related to something I heard yesterday. I was on an away day for my day job where the focus of discussions was managing the big changes that are planned for the organisation over the next few years.
To illustrate this, the manager leading the discussions described how an eagle, when coming to the end of its life, will smash its beak on a rock so that it regrows. He said that it will pull out its talons so that they regrow and pull out its feathers so that they regrow. This process ensures that the eagle’s body regains its previous strength so that it can extend its lifespan. If eagles don’t do this, they will die. And the moral of the story? A big change is hard, but our organisation needs to make big changes to survive and thrive.
I tried not to burst out laughing in a room full of my colleagues or cringe too visibly. I was shocked that anyone would believe this story and would state it as the truth without doing any research into it. However, these wildlife myths are quite common. It’s not just ‘eagle rebirth’, has anyone seen the ‘wolf pack’ photo? I enjoy myths and legends but I do worry when these get presented as facts, particularly concerning our wildlife and environment where misinformation can be extremely damaging.
So, with eagles on the brain, I thought I’d post my photo of a golden eagle today. This stunning bird is Orla who lives at the Loch Lomond Bird of Prey Centre. I had the opportunity to photograph her on her perch. I used using spot metering and focused on her eye on the side of her face that was in the light. This threw the other side of her head and the background into shadow, providing a dramatic contrast.
Photographing captive subjects like this isn’t something I do often. One of the main aspects of wildlife photography I love is the time spent in the field searching for, and then working with, a wild subject. However, captive subjects can allow you the opportunity to try something different or work on fine detail, which wild subjects won’t always allow you the time and proximity to do.
The Loch Lomond Bird of Prey Centre has rescued many birds that were being kept in unsuitable conditions or have been mistreated in some way. I’m wondering if the team there have heard about the ‘eagle rebirth’ story!