Always Looking Up
By Chris Taylor | May 27, 2024
Young Bald Eagle was taken in January 2022 at Clinton Lake, Clinton State Park, Lawrence, Kansas.
I was ten years old in 1973, when Congress passed the Endangered Species Act. The Kansas neighborhood where I grew up was between two rivers and bordered several large parks. I do not remember seeing a lot of wildlife as a kid. I do remember stories about DDT and seeing the big trucks come around in the summer spraying everything to control mosquitoes. I never saw a bald eagle, though I had heard stories that they had once been a regular sight along the rivers near my home. 50 years later, it is estimated there are over a hundred bald eagle nesting pairs in Kansas. This could not have happened without the Endangered Species Act. This is something to celebrate.
I was well into adulthood when I saw my first bald eagle in Lawrence, Kansas. When a park ranger told my spouse and I where we could see bald eagle nests, we were astounded and just couldn't get enough of these amazing birds! Many people see them as a majestic symbol, but there is so much more to the bald eagle…. They are sometimes goofy, histrionic, and the most amazing parents I've ever seen. Bald eagles may be the grandest Endangered Species Act success story, but they are not the only one. Kansas is in a migration flyway, so we are privileged to see dozens of beautiful birds as they come through our area stopping to rest and forage at nearby lakes, rivers, and wetlands.
Bald Eagle was taken in January 2022 at Clinton Lake, Clinton State Park, Lawrence, Kansas. January is one of my favorite times to be out taking pictures. I like the cold (no mosquitoes!) and fewer people means more viewing opportunities.
Bald Eagle Breakfast was taken in January 2022 at Clinton Lake, Clinton State Park, Lawrence, Kansas.
January is also a wonderful time for eagle watching in Kansas. Along with the resident eagles, we have many who come down from the north looking for open water. When it freezes, it's not unusual to spot them out on the ice looking for frozen fish. Being out in the frigid air watching these amazing birds is grounding. It turns off the distracting noise and allows me to just be in the moment, to be in wonder.
As a wildlife photographer, bald eagles were my gateway bird—once I started watching them, I started watching everyone else.
I couldn't stop looking up, and I am forever fascinated by the beauty and sometimes the life and death drama happening right outside our windows—drama so many of us never notice.
Great Egret and Egrets and Pelicans were taken in September 2018 at the Haskell/Baker Wetlands, Lawrence, Kansas. Many great egrets nest in Kansas, so they are numerous at the wetlands during the summer. They always look so elegant wading in the shallow water. They are quick and have very sharp bills. It is not unusual to see them gulping down the unsuspecting frog or small snake. The wetlands provide a wonderful rest stop for pelicans heading south for the winter. While there is a great egret in the background, the smaller white birds who look like mini egrets actually are juvenile little blue herons who will beget their beautiful blue colors around the end of their second year. I often think of my role as photographer as a witness sharing these moments to raise awareness and inspire folks to commit to protecting these important spaces.
As we think about 50-plus years of the Endangered Species Act, let's make a pledge to keep looking up, to protect our diversity, and the wild and urban spaces we all call home, and celebrate what positive social change can do for all of us.
Chris Taylor is an undergraduate lead and Core Faculty in the Office of Academic Support and Instructional Services (OASIS) at Walden University.
Chris notes "I am also a writer, a vegan, and a nature photographer living in Lawrence, Kansas with my spouse and amazing felines. In my writing and photography, my goal is to encourage the celebration of wildlife and wild spaces and encourage a commitment to an inclusive approach to conservation, and the protection of urban and wild spaces for all of us."