Red-shouldered, home

One of the signature sounds of winter's transformation into spring is the shrieking whistles of the Red-shouldered Hawks. Curiously, the graceful raptors arrived a few days later than usual this year, but they're now clearly back from southern haunts and making their presence known as they cruise overhead and make a genuine racket—a racket I love to hear. Today I got lucky, and one Red-shouldered circled low, just over the tree-tops and well within the range of my modest telephoto. (Would that the budget included funds for that 600 mm lens I covet!) Later on, I heard two of the hawks shrieking together, and when I spotted them fairly high overhead, it was clear that they were courting in mid air. I haven't spotted their nest yet, but it's often pretty close by. Soon enough, these rounds of aerial acrobatics will have their desired effect, and the birds will sail down to a tree somewhere, mate, and settle in to rearing the next generation.

Red-shouldereds courting, home