Launching. This bald eagle was perched on rocks just above the water at Lake Pleasant, northwest of Phoenix. But as we drifted nearby in a small boat, he decided that we looked too much like paparazzi, so he (literally) hightailed it, demonstrating in the process how quickly those powerful wings can get him airborne.

Image ©2023 James D. Peterson

Tech info: Nikon D850 camera with Tamron 150-600mm lens at 450mm, 1/1000 sec. at f/16, ISO 1000.