Name: "In Flight Meal"

Captured: February 17, 2005

Biography: This was my first time shooting with a long lens. The lens I used was one that I was considering purchasing but was not sure if I would like it. Fourtuntately I had a friend who owned this lens and invited me to try it out. We met at Lock and Dam 14 in Pleasant Valley, Iowa for an afternoon of shooting these beautiful creatures. It’s no wonder why they’re our national bird as they gracefully glided across the sky as the Lords of their domain. This particular bird swooped down and hit the water and effortlessly harvested a shad in his talons and then arced up and over me toward a tree with his "Inflight Meal".

Awards: Honorable mention in the 2005 Army Corp of Engineers Photo Contest