Captured In Flight

It was only a couple years ago that I couldn’t find an eagle anywhere. Fellow photographers were finding them, and the photos were taunting me on social media. But the more I looked, the bigger the disappointment in not seeing one grew.

Eagles were near extinction in North America before the government banned the pesticide dichloro-diphenyl-trichloroethane (DDT) in 1972. They were taken off the federal endangered species list in 2007, and in recent years, they can be found almost everywhere. However, it remains illegal to own an eagle feather in North America due to the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act.

I know I share a fascination with eagles that a lot of people celebrate. It has been the national symbol since 1782 and became the national bird in 2024. The eagle symbolizes American ideals of strength, freedom, and independence.

I started having luck finding an occasional eagle at St. Andrews State Park and then multiple eagles at locations like Cape San Blas and St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge.

On a recent trip to Canada, I was lucky to find and photograph multiple eagles in areas where they dive and catch fish. Seeing eagles in their native habitat, swooping from the sky and pulling fish from the water, was an amazing sight to witness. It was challenging as a photographer but the most amazing experience to be able to capture.

—Mike Fender

Get to Know 

Mike Fender is a photographer and writer living in Mexico Beach and working across the Florida Panhandle. A regular contributor to Emerald Coast Magazine, Fender shares his stories through words and imagery to complement. Fender is currently splitting time between the Florida Panhandle, the Midwest, and travels beyond, shooting backroads and nature preserves along the way. Follow Fender’s journey on social media: Mike Fender Photography on Facebook and @mike_fender_photography on Instagram.