This was totally unexpected, but it shouldn't have been at all. It was a hawk! That's what you see as a dot in the picture above, but you can see a little better if you click the picture. It's not the best shot ever, but a hawk in flight is a rare thing for me. This is the first hawk I've seen out in the open for quite some time.
The hawk was rapidly flying north towards the trees you see at the left side of the picture. I had to get my pictures very quickly if I wanted them at all. Last year at this time I would have missed the opportunity all together. Now I'm good enough with the camera that I was able to at least get what you see, and I actually got more pictures than this, but they looked mostly the same.
Once I knew that the hawk was gone and never coming back I finally decided to turn and go back up the hill. I was happy that I at least got these photos. This was a big event for me! I got a rare glimpse of a hawk in flight. Seeing something as fantastic as a hawk flying free through the air creates an almost magical feeling. I should come back to this place more often.
The bald trees at the background looks beautiful. I really want to get Eagle or Hawk photos up-close. Great capture Ratty.
ReplyDeleteIt must be exciting to see..You capture the flight!
ReplyDeleteNeat photos and great post - you have a great area in which you live to find all of the creatures you share on your blog.
ReplyDeleteThat is a great picture of the hawk. Too bad it didn't come back. Where I live, hawks are not popular at all because they do kill a lot of things, most of which are other birds like pigeons etc. But they are really majestic flying around. I love to see the little birds chase them when the hawk tries to raid their nests.
ReplyDeleteI have never had a flying hawk in my camera.
ReplyDeleteI always think it is great and gorgeous. It must be very beautiful and exciting to have it in a close range.
Nifty! You know how much I like to watch the hawks fly. Wow, just a year you have been searching out all these great experiences. Thanks for being my staunchest supporter!
ReplyDeletehoping you do visit more often and get a close up of the hawk for us to see.. :-)
ReplyDeleteSo glad you saw that hawk in flight and got your photos Ratty!! I keep trying to catch the little one that hangs around here, as he flies away but he always seems to fly off as soon as I turn away..My arms get tired waiting. Ha! Ha!
ReplyDeleteThe last time we were driving back up to the U.P. from Kenosha Wisconsin, there were so many hawks along the farm field fences, right close to the freeway, it was driving me nuts because of course we couldn't stop the car for me to take photos....they were so close I could see their feathering well and they were just sitting on fenceposts. They are amazing birds.
ReplyDeleteHow fantastic to get that on camera, Wow, it must have been exciting for you Ratty.
ReplyDeleteI've seen hawks in flight many times out here in California. Of course, those were times I didn't have my camera handy. Now that I'm blogging, I tend to carry it more often and tend to be looking for photographic moments.
ReplyDeleteHow nice for you, Ratty...but I wouldn't want him to get one of your favorite squirrels!
I was thinking the same thing as Carmen - that those black squirrels you've featured so many times would be easy targets for a hawk in winter, and they were probably not at all sad to see him leave.
ReplyDeleteYou were lucky to get the hawk or should I say - prepared. I saw a hawk close to the highway last week but I was driving and could not reach my camera. Last night I heard an owl for a long time but of course during the day it cannot be seen. I did get the picture of an owl - but it was at the zoo!
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