Golden Eagle

I spent a wonderful day yesterday with a friend who had asked if I'd like to go to the Coaldale Birds of Prey Centre, near Lethbridge, southern Alberta. It was just over a two-hour drive there and the temperature down south was 37C (roughly 106F)!

This Centre is "Canada’s largest birds of prey facility. Situated on a 70-acre wetland area site, the centre is a celebration of nature featuring the hawks, falcons, eagles and owls of Alberta. Throughout the site and along the pathways, a number of birds of prey are sitting on their perches only feet away from visitors. These birds are all in various stages of training and receive lots of exercise in the daily flying programs. At the centre, they have one of North America's largest captive breeding populations for the endangered Burrowing Owl."

This beautiful Golden Eagle was a few feet away from the Bald Eagle! What huge birds they are! I think I have only ever seen either two or three Golden Eagles flying in the wild, apart from a lot of them flying over Mt. Lorette (Kananaskis) during migration time. They are then only seen as tiny black specks above the mountains! Despite the Golden Eagle's reputation, I still find the Bald Eagle to be especially majestic. There's just something about that wonderful head of white, fringed feathers!