With a wing span of two metres plus, Wedge-tailed Eagles are magnificent creatures, even when you see them only high in the sky. I’ve not yet seen one up close. That day will come, I’m sure. In the meantime, here are a couple of pictures of one that soared above us as we drove along the tracks at Bendleby Ranges in South Australia.

We were tackling some tough 4WD tracks, which meant that most of us were outside the vehicles, taking videos of each attempt to clamber up a steep hill. At least two of us diverted our cameras to the bird instead! At one stage, it swooped down and flew along a valley below us:

Common name: Wedge-tailed Eagle
Scientific name: Aquila audax
Approximate length: 0.9-1.1 m; wing span 1.8-2.5 m
Date spotted: 19 July 2026 (winter)
Location: Bendleby Ranges in the Flinders Ranges, South Australia: 32°21’13.7″S 138°47’34.8″E