…as well as a willingness to be late.
Recently, I was out for a Bird Walk at Antonelli Pond and Natural Bridges.
I walked along the north side of the lake, taking a few pictures, but nothing that excited me. Then I crossed the street into Natural Bridges State Park. I took many pictures of an Anna’s Hummingbird that was spending an inordinate amount of time preening on a branch. I kept hoping that I could capture it in flight, but it never took off. It is the mating season for many so it may have been preening to impress.
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After taking over 200 photos of the Hummingbird, I glanced at my watch. I didn’t have much time left (Katherine and I had a small graduation party to attend), so with little reluctance, I left the Hummingbird to its ministrations and crossed the street back toward Antonelli Pond to search for Herons.
Just as I crossed the street, a Red-shouldered Hawk flew over. I quickly raised my camera and fired off shots as it landed in a Eucalyptus Tree back across the street in Natural Bridges. I took a few more and then noticed a second Red-shouldered Hawk perched in another tree near the first. Were they mates?
The first Hawk flew off and I took a few pictures of the second. Then I saw a Crow dive-bombing a pine tree not far from the Eucalyptus grove. I knew now where the first Red-shouldered had landed. I hurried back across the street.
I found the Red-shouldered perched in a pine next one of the trails. It was 12:25 P.M. and I had wanted to start for home at 12:30 P.M. Hoping to get a photo of the Hawk in flight, I trained my camera on him and waited. And waited. And waited. And lowered my heavy (over six pounds) camera and lens combo to rest my arms and shoulders.
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For the next fourteen minutes, I alternated between focusing on the Hawk for as long as my arms could handle it (“You’re building muscles!” I kept telling myself) and lowering the camera for a brief rest. Now and again, the Hawk would appear to show some interest in something and I’d get excited but then he’d relax again.
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I was worried about the time. I set a five minute timer on my watch. If he hadn’t flown by then, I’d give up. And just before the timer went off…
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Does it look like that Hawk is flying straight toward me?
Yeah.
He was!
The Red-shouldered Hawk landed on the ground…twenty feet away from me! I was stunned. I knew I should be packing up my camera and heading home–I was going to be late–but nobody could expect me to leave now. (Right, Katherine?)
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For the next two and a half minutes, the Red-shouldered nosed about (or, beaked about?) the bushes. He was totally aware of my presence, but didn’t seem to mind. I even squatted (slowly) to get a better angle and crossed the path (again, slowly) to keep him in sight, and he showed no concern.
![](https://i0.wp.com/www.kathyhawksbirdandphotoblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/2021_06_04_Natural-Bridges-35775-1.jpg?resize=920%2C809&ssl=1)
Now I really had to leave (it’s 12:43 P.M.). I cautiously headed up the path toward the Hawk and he flew off the path into a nearby tree.
![](https://i0.wp.com/www.kathyhawksbirdandphotoblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/2021_06_04_Natural-Bridges-35803-1.jpg?resize=920%2C614&ssl=1)
(Okay, yeah, this photo won’t win any awards! 😂 The Hawk was so close to me (or I was so slow) that I didn’t capture all of him as he flew in front of me. )
I put my camera in its case and hurried home.
It would be about eight hours before I was able to download the pictures from the memory card. They were worth the wait.
[…] She didn’t answer; she spread her arms out and lowered her head. This was her imitation of a Red-shouldered Hawk flying toward me. I had to agree. He was worthy of Photo of the (Previous) […]