The Peek-a-Boo Hawk
A red-tailed hawk plays hide and seek		January 3, 2007
 


In my experience, red-tailed hawks are extremely shy, antisocial, or a combination of both. The point of hawk annoyance with me and my camera is approximately 600 feet. At that distance, the hawk will fly away.

Alternatively, 600 feet could be the distance at which I first see a perched hawk, since it is generally on eye contact that a hawk departs.

One morning the local red-tailed hawk spotted me and flew into a thicket. I saw the motion of wings and where the hawk had landed, so I took a couple of photos of the hawk who was peeking around to see whether I had observed the hiding place.
 
The peeking red-tailed hawk
 
Yes, the red-tailed hawk knew that the game was up and flew away.
 

Red-tailed hawk in flight
 
  It always amazes me how adept hawks are at flying through forest.
 
Red-tailed hawk in flight
 
  I thought that the above would be the hawking sighting of the day; however, within 20 feet of arriving back at my front door, the hawk flew overhead.
 
Red-tailed hawk
 

It was as if the red-tailed hawk was saying, "Aha, I know where you live now. I can sneak up on you too."

Photo note: I used a Pentax *ist D, with the SMC 1000mm reflex lens (handheld), for these photos.



My Pennsylvania bird list   ||  Red-tailed hawks: Two photos   and   Changing places

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