#WildlifeWednesday Red-Tailed Hawk

As cool and fun as it would be to accept the vocation of wildlife photographer, I don’t know if I would have the patience. Most of the pictures I have taken have been of animals indigenous to my home in Pennsylvania. I think it would be great to visit Yellowstone to photograph moose, elk, bear, wolves and whatever else wandered into view, but I think it’s seldom like that. Photographing wildlife requires learning about animal behavior. What habits species emote, what patterns emerge, what makes critters who they are. My hat goes off to those shutterbugs who brave freezing arctic temperatures to photograph polar bears, penguins, and other creatures whose habitat is deadly to humans. I have tons of respect for people who camp out and wait for a herd of bison to cross the focal point of their camera for hours or even days. I can’t do that right now. I haven't mastered that side of my personality. I have problems with patience. Fortunately for me this Red-Tailed hawk decided to have his dinner perched atop a telephone pole visible from the front door of my office, and a camera was close by.

Nikon D7100 Sigma 120-300mm f/2.8 @ f/3.2-4 ISO 100 a/1000 sec