Bay Photos by Donna

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Just cruising around Everglades City in my birding mobile 😎.  In front of me without warning, a Red-shouldered Hawk crossed my path within feet at eye level.  I slammed on the brakes, grabbed my camera, and got this full frame shot of it already landed on the tree to my left.

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Red-shouldered Hawk

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With our sudden close proximity, the hawk shifted to another branch that had some shading.  I backed up slowly, then pulled forward left to better my angle, plus get a little closer.  I was so glad to get rid of that harsh afternoon sun!

It was breezy, so I shot a series to try to get the hawk with as little or no sunlight on it from the shading of moving branches.

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Red-shouldered Hawk

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Red-shouldered Hawk

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The hawk was so cooperative, I couldn’t believe it.  I was still worried with the lighting, so I backed up slowly again and pulled forward more left and was now sitting face to face, shooting through my golf cart’s opened front window.

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Red-shouldered Hawk

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Red-shouldered Hawk

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“Kissed by the Sun”

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And with those last shots, I expressed my thanks, backed up slowly, and U-turned away, leaving the hawk to its mission…..and probably wondering, what the heck was that?!  😊

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