Red-tail Overhead

Wherever you go, don’t forget to look up. You never know what wonders you might see right above you, even if you’re just walking on Main Street.

It was pure luck in getting a photo I’ve wanted to get for years. As the clear and sunny spring morning reached toward noon a family of hawks gathered on unseen columns of warm air, circling overhead. I saw this hawk swinging wider as I tried to photograph the group above the buildings where I stood. As it swooped low over the street and I started snapping pictures, hoping my telephoto lens was refocusing as the hawk quickly moved. Really, I’m surprised I got this photo, all the others were interesting wing flaps, some a little blurry, then this.

The collective noun for a group of hawks circling around on that column of air is called a “kettle” as if they are moving around like boiling water. Read more about their movements and this terminology here.

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All images used on this site are copyrighted to Bernadette E. Kazmarski unless otherwise noted and may not be used without my written permission. Please ask if you are interested in using one in a print or internet publication. If you are interested in purchasing a print of this image or a product including this image, visit my galleries of Photography on Portraits of Animals to see if I have it available already. If you don’t find it there, visit “Custom Prints” for availability and terms. I'll be more than happy to make a print for you.