This is why you should always have a camera with you. Jackie Johnson, a co-worker in our Madison, WI newsroom, captured the amazing image below:

“I’ve seen many bald eagles in my life, but never one in the wild just a couple feet away from me! The other day I came across a mature bald eagle on the side of the road eating roadkill! It was cool! I hit the breaks so as not to kill this endangered species, and simultaneously grabbed my camera and manage to get a somewhat decent shot as the fully-grown bird flew away. It’s a little blurry as I frantically tried to contain my excitement.”