4 May 08
Swainson's Hawk
Being away for ten days gave the local birds time to get settled on nests. The Swainson’s at work is nesting in the top of the pine tree that didn’t blow down in our severe January storms. The male is vocal, active, and is harrassed pretty much constantly by crows.
I’m hoping to be able, someday, to render the near 180° roll of a Swainson’s hawk fending off a crow in flight, but for now this will have to do. I saw this bird drop down and pick off a small rodent (probably young ground squirrell) without really stopping; it was like a touch-and-go maneuver.
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Isn’t that hunting aerial acrobatics simply amazing?! Nice look on the hawk’s face.