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Red-shouldered Hawk in Tree III
I had just purchased my first big glass, a Canon 300mm f/2.8 and along with my new Canon A2e I was off to Ding Darling, in Florida, a noted wildlife sanctuary to photograph shorebirds. It was 1993 and although I had a number of years shooting weddings and landscapes, this was my first wildlife outing. You might say I was still a little green.
I drove into Ding Darling and had gotten maybe only a mile looking left and right for something to photograph and in a tree near the side of the road was a Red Shouldered Hawk. Even better, he was only about ten feet off the ground and sat there in full sun. I got out slowly, mounted the camera, positioned myself for a good composition and fired off a number of shots. The Hawk was very congenial, just sitting there politely while I fumbled with the tripod, posing for me, never spooking, just watching me. I’m sure I made fewer than ten images, then packed up my gear and drove off, while thinking to myself, this wildlife photography is pretty easy. I’ll drive around the park and maybe get him again when I pass by here on my next loop through.
It’s been thirteen years since that day and I haven’t encountered anything as easy as the shots you see here. Wild birds of prey usually fly off when you approach. They don’t usually hang around waiting for you to assemble your gear. I wonder if he knew I was just starting out, maybe a smell of novice I was putting off, and he just threw me a bone.