Brutus - a magnificent Martial eagle - Image by Jeff Ayliffe

My parents bought me a book when I was a kid, written by Jeanne Cowden in the 70's, called 'For the Love of an eagle'. It was a true story about how she had befriended a family of Black eagles in the Drakensberg mountains of KZN, and covered her relationship with a young bird called 'Timmerjan' This was the start of my fascination with Black eagles, now called 'Verreaux eagles', and in particular, a beautiful bird called 'Mick'. Mick stays at 'Eagle Encounters' at Spier, cared for by Hank and Tracy Chalmers, and is just one of a variety of beautiful raptors being looked after in this centre for rehabilitation and education. I'm preparing to shoot a doccy on Mick, to document her fascinating life as an 'ambassador' for the Black eagle species. Below - Yellow-billed Kite - Image by Jeff Ayliffe