Red-tailed Hawk

Red-tailed hawk perched on electrical line

While on a photo shoot for Osprey I came across a big old Red-tailed Hawk, perched on a high power electrical line. The park is awash with large birds; herons, egrets, hawks, eagles and osprey.  Oh my!

This hawk was seemingly undisturbed by my presence.  I got to within 25 feet, which was as close as I wanted to get.  Those hunter eyes combined with the powerful talons and curved beak looked pretty menacing. This hawk was perched just across the street from the pond, nearby to Bassett Creek.  It might have been scoping out some of the many neighborhood squirrels, who are busily gathering black walnuts.

I was surprised that a gold finch was perched nearby to the hawk and was chirping away.  It was far braver than I.

Hawk eye

Gold finch perched (upper left)
nearby Red-tailed hawk