A Hawk Story

[Loupey]

If you thought this was going to be another one of my long, drawn out stories.... you're right!

Bear with me, this isn't too long and should only be 2 posts:

So I'm out trying to sneak up on some butterflies when a shadow passes overhead. Now I always look up because I find shadows a great way to spot flying birds. But I didn't see anything, so I go on shooting butterflies. A few minutes later, I hear a sound I've only heard once before - a sound like a paper lawn bag filled about halfway and dropped from about 5'. I immediately see a red-tailed hawk that had landed about 50' away (IMAGE 1).

The way it was acting, I was certain it had caught its prey. Instead it flew away without anything and I thought that was that. But it flew only a short distance away into the far side of a large tree where I couldn't see it. After a few minutes, I stalked it and found it waiting to pounce on something (IMAGE 2). I get into position and wait, and wait, and wait. I see another hawk hovering in the distance nearly directly behind this one so I adjust the focus to watch that one when this one suddenly leaps - of course Adjusting the focus like mad, I caught (IMAGE 3) before it lands.

I couldn't see it among the weeds and grass - only where it went in. I'm watching through the viewfinder and waiting when it suddenly bursts out and I get (IMAGE 4) as it flies through the shadows of other nearby trees. I figure "that's it" but it only flies into another tree. This time, I don't wait and stalk it immediately to find it once again still in hunting mode (IMAGE 5).