Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Suddenly in the wind

When I got home from work today, the first thing that my husband told me was that the hawk was back in the tree today and that he’d gotten a couple of pictures of it before it took off again.

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This is a sharp shinned hawk and the photo above is my favorite of the group, although I like the one below as well.


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The two photos below were taken yesterday by me. My husband had come into the living room to tell me that if I wanted to get the camera, the hawk was back in the tree.

I shot these through the window of the breakfast nook, trying to adjust for the bright sunlight.


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Do you see the sharp gleam in the eye? My husband thinks it is the same hawk that keeps returning to hunt in the yard. I last posted about him here:

Afternoon surprise

I prefer my husband’s photos above, with the bird against the light colored sky rather than the blue.


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And I prefer his vantage point over mine.

: : :


They did the deed of darkness
In their own mid-light.

He plucked a gray field mouse   
Suddenly in the wind.
 
The small dead fly alive   
Helplessly in his beak,
 
His cold pride, helpless.   
All she receives is life.
 
excerpt from You and I Saw Hawks Exchanging the Prey
by James Wright

 
Until tomorrow, my friends . . .
123 Signature

46 comments:

Hilary said...

You both got amazing photos of this incredible creature. Isn't he just so beautiful?

abb said...

Glorious! We have a hawk in our area as well. I was pretty sure he's a red tail, but after looking at the breast pattern in that first photo, I'm beginning to rethink red tail!

Cheryl said...

Wonderful pic, never knew they were such a pretty bird.

Roberta Warshaw said...

Fabulous! You are so lucky to have him as a visitor in your yard! I love hawks. We have a few here in the city (the red tailed variety) But they stay high up and rarely come down into the trees.
You got some great shots!

My Farmhouse Kitchen said...

~ what a BEAUTIFUL bird.....oh...he is so handsome...

i LOVE HIM !!!

and stunning photo's...as always

kary and teddy
xxx

Caroline said...

WOW...such a regal bird. Amazing shots Kate!

Achieve1dream said...

Gorgeous! I do prefer the ones against the grays sky as opposed to the blue, but yours are still great too!

Deb said...

beautiful photos...we had a hawk circling the other day...hubby got a few photos but no close ups..

TexWisGirl said...

All of them are beautiful shots! Sharp-eyed hawk, for sure. :)

Driftwood and Pumpkin said...

I saw a large hawk today too! He lighted upon a branch in the woods as I was driving along a dirt road. As the car approached, he flew away. He was about the same size as this one, so it may have been the same species.

From Beyond My Kitchen Window said...

There is something so majestic about this hawk. Both you and your husband took some amazing pictures.

typical libra said...

Wow - just wow I really wish I had more of this kind of nature in my neck of the woods. Beautiful - I mean gorgeous shots, especially that first one!

mrs mediocrity said...

be. still. my. heart.
My sister works at a vet, she sent me a picture the other day of a hawk that was brought in with a broken wing. I said," Did you get to hold him?" She thinks I am nuts.
Well, okay, I am nuts, but you know what I mean...

Pat - Arkansas said...

Wonderful photos -- both of you! What a magnificent creature the hawk is - much more beautiful than we think when observing them from afar. Thanks!

Lili said...

They are such beautiful creatures and all such good captures Kate! We have one that comes here on occasion. Right now I'm craving to see an owl. You ever see any around your parts? xo ~Lili

Lisa said...

Amazing shots. Wow. Just stunning he is and so regal looking.

deborah said...

magnificent photos!

Anonymous said...

Love all the photos! What lens were you shooting with and how far away was the hawk? Amazing photos, Kate.

Di

alphabet soup said...

Will you just look at those beautiful speckled feathers!! What a wonderul bird.
And the snow crystal photos from yesterday are too much...

Ms Soup

Sweetpea said...

You and your husband exchanging prey...
Different vantage points.
Marriage is such a pictorial adventure, yes?

[[[oh sweetpea, just shuuuuut up, will ya?!?!?!?]]]]

Judy said...

Wonderful shots!

Joe said...

Great shots.

Michelle said...

Really a majestic bird. Great captures.

Laura~peach~ said...

its times like this that i really suffer from camera envy!!!!
BEAUTIFUL shots!!!!

Anonymous said...

Wonderful photos! Thanks for sharing.
Lynda in Michigan

Unknown said...

Beautiful! It is always a thrill to see a hawk..

annie

Daryl said...

I saw a vending hawking things .. I guess it only counts if he was in a tree and I got a photo ... I like A's shots better too ..

GailO said...

I'm sure you don't have many birds at the feeder if this guy is stationed there! He is gorgeous though...and you have both taken wonderful shots of him. There are things about both sets of photos I like...so I am not choosing a favorite:)

Hope you stay safe and warm during the latest storm!

sharon said...

Absolutely LOVE your pictures of the hawk. Hawks fascinate me. I love the way they perch and watch for their prey. You and your husband captured their beauty.
I must admit, I do like your husbands photo a little better. :)
Have a warm day!

The JR said...

They are all good pictures. George is not the only squirrel hunter around there.

Joy said...

What a beauty!

Country Gal said...

Awesome photos ! My hubby has a few photos of them. we have them here as well and they try to peg off our song birds as they are at the feeders. Nature has its wicked ways ! Have a great day !

Anonymous said...

Thank you for sharing these! I have seen the big birds but never this close!....smiles.

Anonymous said...

Such beautiful images. I bought my husband an ornament of a harris halk and they are incredibly majestic birds.

I notice you've updated your header photo, which is lovely. I've updated mine today, think you might like to show it to George (who is now on display on my office wall looking particularly divine).

CJ xx

Cait O'Connor said...

Fabulous pics!

MaggieGem said...

All of these are fabulous... what great captures!

Alli said...

Ok, you two must have a muse hidden around your house (George maybe?). Beautiful photos.

Your poem at the end reminds me of Noah. When he took a course called British Literature he had to pick a poem to write about. Since he doesn't read poetry he asked the teacher for a poem. She told him of a poem about a Falcon. He ended up reading it and it was all about the ferocity of the falcon and it's kills and prey. Noah is a very gentle soul (and somewhat shy) and a vegetarian at that! It was hilarious.

Anonymous said...

What fantastic pictures you both took! Thank you so much for sharing.

Carolynn Anctil said...

I really like birds of prey. I don't know what it is about them, their steely eyed expressions, perhaps. I wish they were vegetarians, but I don't think that's ever gonna happen.

Deb said...

so does this mean you are rooting for the Sea Hawks this weekend?

Katie said...

Found you on the Pioneer Woman Photography Assignments blog-sharing post! Hawks were one of my favorite things to sight when we lived in the country in Illinois... you see them everywhere, when you're looking, and they always look so... ready for anything.

Love the pictures!

Char said...

he is a beauty

Mary Lou said...

Wow. I've never seen such detail before. I didn't know they were so colorful. Great shots.

Mental P Mama said...

I imagine the bird feeders are his favorite restaurants!

Unknown said...

Incredible photos.
Its a little unsettling to see them swooping between the homes here in suburbia , perched on the roof, etc, but I suppose the more we take over their habitat it's to be expected.

They are glorious .

Jan's camera said...

All of the photos are beautiful. That hawk is magnificent and scary at the same time.