MA - yard Red-tail 02/26

This Red-tailed Hawk had been lurking around the yard all afternoon perhaps hoping to snatch one of our local Eastern Cottontails. When Matan started playing in the yard the Red-tail flew straight in and seemed genuinely curious in the activity. Naturally, when I approached with the camera it lifted off hitting some weird angles as it tried to gain height in the gusty NW winds. Beautiful bird, wonderfully illuminated from the snow below.

 Red-tailed Hawk - Gill yard, Franklin Co., MA. February 26th, 2014.