Looking Back-Birds Of Prey

I began this year. The beginning of my real wildlife photography would start.  I would learn to track flight, manual focus on the spot, and train my eye and hand to be quick.

Harris Hawks

Looking back?  My knowledge of birds is stronger.  The wildlife photography has improved.

I have yet to spot so many more birds, but my investigations began with Birds of Prey.  

They were larger and easier to spot in the wild.

Red Tail Hawk

Some were found right in my own backyard!  Like these two hawks. 

Cooper's Hawk

 Some would be found accidentally like these owlets below. 

Or this Turkey Vulture...

.......and in more exotic locations, birds like this Northern Harrier would fly over my head and catch my eye.

The assassin known as the Loggerhead Shrike would sit on a branch waiting for its prey.

My ears could not deny me my first discovery of this pair of Great Horned Owls.
 

...or the camouflage of this Western Screech Owl.

Slowly, I add to my birding lists and will continue to do so until I find them all:)   And that may take me awhile.

The Gray Hawk is quite stunning around Riparian areas.

Or the mystical Ferruginous Hawk.....

More importantly.  Everytime I investigate a new bird, I learn about the habitat, what they eat and how they sound......

.....and that continues to add to my knowledge base.

And that in itself is the living classroom....the one we find surrounding us.

And then there are the exotic places that I can only glimpse at faires.  Birds that are found elsewhere around the world.....the Birds of Prey that exist in Europe or South America.  And I yearn to find them in their natural habitat.  I've been exposed to a broader picture of the bird world.

Eagle Owls with massive wingspans, deadly buzzards from Africa......

....or South America.....

.....make my mind wander.  What more is out there?  Where could I find them?

And thanks to these beautiful birds, my hunger only grows to find more at each Rare Bird Alert that pops up on my screen.  Location.  GPS tracking coordinates.  It's all exciting stuff.  More to come.....