It was time to take another break from the pandemic crisis and escape into the natural world. One of the places where I drive is a haven for hawks. Sometimes I see them, and sometimes I don’t.
On this spring evening, I caught sight of a hawk sitting on top of some tree branches. It was on the wrong side of the road to photograph, so I drove on and turned around. I was quite a distance away and wasn’t sure whether this was a Broad-winged Hawk or a Red-shouldered Hawk.
Hawks are challenging to photograph because they are flighty and will take off at first sight of encroachment. I approached very slowly, but this one has already caught sight of me.
And sure enough, without me moving any closer, the hawk took off. Luckily, I was able to follow it, and from the appearance of its undersides, I think it was a Broad-winged.
The hawk flapped its huge wings up and down, and I was hoping it would pick a perch soon because I was already getting out of range for sharp pictures with my 100-400 mm lens.
The critter must have heard my wish because it landed on a tree, a whole field now between us. It was taking social distancing to a whole new level!
The hawk continued to watch me from afar. As I sat there, I noticed how my mind had cleared, and my spirit had relaxed. Ah, the wonders of nature. I hope you are well and safe.
Great results from your escape into nature, Karen!
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