ML647270517

观察细节

Continuing today. Much better views. Bird calling loudly today as well! What a beauty. Same spot on the corner of 110 s 1150 w. My first adult Red-shouldered Hawk. I knew right away that this bird was special AND that it was too far away for me. I resisted for over 30 hours before I found myself clearing my schedule, and driving alone at 2:40 a.m., under the falling stars of the Geminds metor shower. McKay, being the generous soul that he is, joined my search for his continuing bird. We saw it from the back first, noting the black-and-white checked back/wing pattern, the tiny tail, then eventually, the amount of red in the breast and belly as an adult, and how tiny it was overall. It was mesmerizing. In an adult, and also with such close looks, the dramatic differences between it and other raptors was everything I had hoped for, strikingly different, and instantly recognizable, in my first ever adult Red-shouldered Hawk. Possibly my favorite raptor sighting this year? Thanks McKay for finding this beautiful bird. I cannot overstate enough his incredible work ethic, the thing that I admire the most about him. He packs 60 hours of work into four days, gets four days off to do “life” AND cram in birding, then starts over. I have seen both myself and some quite experienced/prominent individuals grow as birders/find more rares as we learn from his methods: his skill (sound + sight + extensive field experience + researched/learned knowledge of/newly found birding areas), his determination (searching for hours/days for birds like this one that he doesn’t know is even there), and his humility.