Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Title This...

My age old dilemma.  Do I turn around or don't I?  I was recently on my way home from Door County with my D300s riding shotgun when I happened to see a good sized bird sitting on the power line.  As I drove by I could tell it was a hawk of some type.  Being a bird nut especially drawn to raptors, it's a scenario I've found myself in too many times to count.

Here's how it usually unfolds.  I drive down the road a little ways while I play tug of war with my brain.  Do I turn around or not?  I should... but I want to get home... but I should.  Usually I do.  But here's the thing.  Wild animals, including birds of prey, aren't really crazy about people.  Cars whizzing past... no big deal.  Pull the car over anywhere close enough to capture a photo though and ... whoosh, off to a more private perch. 

If it happens enough times, you start to plan various "stealth" options in your head in hopes that eventually one will work.  This time I drove past slowly in the other direction until I was a ways down the road and then I pulled off onto the shoulder.  So far so good as the hawk was still there.  I rolled down the window and shot back up the road for a few VERY distant shots.  Better than nothing, but I wish I could do better.  Checking to make sure there is no traffic coming in either direction as far as the eye could see, I opened up the moon roof and swung the car back to the south.  As I crawled up along side the hawk, I came to a stop and started shooting through the open roof!  I rattled off  a dozen shots or more before he even bothered to turn around and look at me! 

After some research by my wife, this guy/gal was identified as a Broad-winged Hawk.  Evidently perching on power lines and watching for passing rodents is a favorite past time and this must have been prime hunting grounds as it remained as I continued on my journey home.

In honor of FINALLY getting a decent picture, I've dubbed this shot "Turn Around"... more as a reminder to me that persistence pays off.

 Now it's your turn.  Use the comments section below to offer up your best title for this image and remember to have fun.

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