Bald eagles soar through snowstorm in Colorado
LAKEWOOD, Colo. – Photos and videos shot in northern Colorado Thursday capture striking images of bald eagles flying through gently falling snow.
A snowstorm swept through Colorado this week, dropping more than 40 inches of frozen precipitation in parts of the Centennial State.
While this created hazardous conditions on the roads, it produced a stunning backdrop for animals in the wild – and those who want to photograph them.
"You know, you just see the snow falling outside, and it's time to get out because if you see snow, it just adds so much to the image," said wildlife photographer Dan Walters.
Walters captured images of bald eagles soaring through the storm system near Chatfield State Park, which is located south of Denver.
His images show the white snow and overcast skies punctuated by the dark brown feathers and piercing eyes of the national bird.
Walters said the images were possible due to perfect timing of the snowfall and the migration of eagles from Canada.
"I've been wanting to photograph eagles in the snow," he said. "I’ve photographed them in the winter, but just never got lucky enough with the timing, with the falling snow and the flying eagles."
Walter specializes in bird photography, such as capturing images of snowy egrets in the summer and several species of ducks in the winter.
"There's such a wide variety of birds out there, and they're just fun to capture in flight," he said.
He did note how certain weather elements can impact his experience as a photographer. For example, snowfall can affect the autofocus on his camera.
However, the weather, such as the wintry storm this week, can also provide a beautiful opportunity for a wildlife photographer.
"Sometimes, in those crazy weather days, those are the days to get out because the images are so unique compared to just a bright, sunny day," Walters said. "It just adds a lot to the story with different weather."
Original article source: Bald eagles soar through snowstorm in Colorado
