Red-Tailed Hawk

[Trojansoc]

During last night's soccer matches, we had an interested spectator, a red-tailed hawk. He made a low overflight as I was unpacking my car (after I had already taken my camera out to the coach's box, of course). Then, when the girls' match started, he took up a viewing perch atop one of the light towers.



A pesky crow wanted to contest for the prime spot, but the hawk refused to budge.



Grooming was the order of the day for halftime, so I never had an opportunity for a full frontal shot, but he did at least turn to check out the guy with the camera. (100% crop)



This guy has made the area around our sports complex his hunting ground...a pretty good one, I would think with numerous fields, including an unimproved field that will eventually be a practice field, and lots of high perches. I've seen him several times on top of the baseball batting cages or the scoreboard, but this is the first time I've had a camera when I was close enough to get a shot.

[mtngal]

He looks pretty happy there, well done! Nothing like combining sports and birding at the same time.

[brokenbokeh]

Big for shot #1!

[Rodney9]

Good capture, well done.