Saturday, August 27, 2016

And This Is Why . . .


This is why I almost always have my camera on the car seat beside me, lens cap off and ready to go.


 I was coming home a few days ago and saw a big bird on the ground in the driveway. I thought it might be a hawk and stopped. It at once flew up to the barn roof and posed a bit. 

Not great as I was shooting into the sun . . . but then he flew off to the trees.


Where he or she posed nicely.


I think it's a young one -- the way it was blundering around suggest that this might have been an early solo. Plus for years we've had a family of Red Tails whose young uns show up down at the lower place around this time of year.


Seeing a raptor is always kind magical to me. And these pictures are why I always take my camera with me. 


8 comments:

Ms. A said...

Hope your chickens are all accounted for!

Vicki Lane said...

That was John's comment.

Frances said...

Ahh, nature! Vicki, I am so glad that you do keep that camera at the ready. I agree with your thinking you might have witnessed some early flights of a young bird.

Earlier this year, I spent perhaps far too many hours watching web cam coverage of peregrine falcon nests in Norwich and in Bath, UK. It was fascinating to see the hatching of the chicks and all the dramas that unfolded afterwards. Wow! xo

Elizabeth Varadan, Author said...

I think it's a hawk. We had one in our midtown neighborhood. One day it flew to a tree branch overhanging our backyard from our neighbor's house. Beautiful creature, but . . . all the other birds left for a day or two and only returned after it went away. We had two days of silence in our backyard.

jennyfreckles said...

Oh, gorgeous. It posed very nicely for you - and yes, glad you had your camera at the ready.

Juliet said...

Well captured, Vicki! It's always a challenge to photograph birds. I've been very interested in raptors ever since reading that wonderful book, 'H is for Hawk.'

Carol Crump Bryner said...

It's always magical to watch these birds watching for prey. And I swear you can almost feel them sitting on those branches before you actually see them.

Anonymous said...

We have some broadtail hawks in our woods. I love to hear their keening cries. A few days ago one swooped right down near me as I walked to the house from the studio. Magic, pure magic.

Deana the Queena