Birds of prey know that they are cool

The past few years we have had a couple of hawks living in our midst. There are two nests in our backyard, which can only be seen in the winter when the leaves are gone. The hawks seem to prefer to build their nests at the top of the oak trees in our yard, perhaps to survey their domain and look for tasty morsels like squirrels and other birds. On Wednesday, I left the house to take Samson for a walk and I noticed a hawk in the tree across the street from out house. I was hoping that the hawk would still be there when I returned from my stroll with Handsome Boy. Luckily, the hawk was in his same perch when I got back from my stroll with Samson. I quickly let Samson into the house, grabbed Dee's camera and started to take some pictures. The quiet elegance of this raptor is something that needs to be seen to truly appreciate the beauty of this creature.

The hawk was perched in an oak tree across the street from our house. After grabbing Dee's camera, I quietly walked to a position where I could best capture the hawk in his perch before he flew away. He remained on the branch for a few minutes, then he took flight, circling around the area a few times, gracefully flying along a few thermals, soaring up and down silently. After making a few circuits around the tree, he headed west, no doubt looking for a snack. His graceful flight was inscribed against the sky, and his wings were clearly outlined against this blue and white pallet. As quickly as he was here, he was gone. I hope to catch a few more images of him again, soon, before the leaves return and his nest is once again hidden from view.