I was pulling out a beach chair to sit on the roof & enjoy the balmy afternoon when I heard a Red-shouldered hawk calling. Actually, I'd come to think of "the" red-shoulder, assuming I had been seeing the same one around the neighborhood (Rock Creek at Q Street) repeatedly. However, today there were 2, circling, calling & chasing each other.
One lit in the top of a tall sycamore across Massachusetts Avenue while the other continued soaring & circling. I lit in my chair & read the funnies. When I realized there was no longer a hawk in the sycamore I started scanning the sky. One Red-shoulder was still up there, along with a Turkey Vulture and an adult Red-tail.
When I first started watching the r-s the wind was kicking up occasional gusts & one r-s had its wings in a distinct dihedral. To counter the buffeting effect?
--
Carrol Cowan
Washington DC
arielamcATatt.net |