Nothing has such power to broaden the mind as the ability to investigate systematically and truly all that comes under thy observation in life. – Marcus Aurelius

I have always loved the Hawks that are in abundance where I live. Fairly large birds which can either be seen waiting patiently for prey or soaring on the wind currents circling looking for dinner .

Anyone who has ever stopped to watch a hawk in flight will know that this is one of the natural world’s most elegant phenomena.-John Burnside

Since I have started my photography hobby I have been trying to get a good sharp picture of a hawk, preferably in flight. As I have found out time after time. Apparently all animals know the exact limits of the effective range of my photographic equipment. They also know how to stay just outside of that range. I have literally walked right up to a hawk that was just 10ft above me on a limb, empty handed. Put the camera in my hand and they take off from a quarter mile down the road.

This day worked out well for me. This red-tailed hawk could care less that I had stopped on the side of the road to snap some pictures. He did give me the silent treatment keeping his back turned to me. At least he did take a glance over his shoulder so I could get a decent picture. Would it have been better in flight, yes would it have looked better as a front shot, yes and would it have looked better in a tree instead of on a power line, yes. Guess I still have some work to do.

The quality of decision is like the well-timed swoop of a falcon which enables it to strike and destroy its victim.- Sun Tzu

Then as a matter of feast or famine the picture taking feast ensued. This little Peregrine Falcon decided to sit still long enough to get a couple shots. As I crept too close he took off and landed just a few feet down the wire. Thus allowing me a couple more shots. Due to his smaller size it almost looked like something you could make a pet out of. Like a parakeet, that would rip your eyeballs out.

“You’ve never heard of the Millennium Falcon?…It’s the ship that made the Kessel Run in less than twelve parsecs.” ―Han Solo.

Ok I couldn’t resist the pun. Other puns left out: Ethan Hawk, Hawking my wares, Hawk a loogie, Stephen Hawking, bird on a wire,  and the list goes on. All in all it was a good photographic day. After the birds of prey I was lucky enough to get a couple good deer pics. So stay tuned for another post coming soon.