Basil Hawk in Summer

Red-tailed Hawk at Basil Marella Park(8/29/15)

To briefly resuscitate a tired metaphor, time does indeed fly. I took these pictures during girls' cross-country practice wa-a-a-a-y back in late August. Our team trains on our "home course" at Basil Marella Park in the beautiful suburb of Greece, New York. While spotting hawks on the Monroe County expressway system is a very common occurrence, I had not previously been capable of pulling over to the side of the road to take any photos (though the idea still often crosses my mind).

Like their cousins the American Robin and Northern Cardinal, the Red-tailed hawk can be frequently observed in Western New York. As written on the Canisius Ambassadors for Conservation website, Red-tailed Hawks "[are] one of the most widely-spread hawks found in the western hemisphere."

Because Red-tailed Hawks are so ubiquitous as to be nearly invisible, my wife (and the student-athletes I coach) think it goofy that I rush to the car to grab my camera. As I have often written, however, it is precisely because they are so common, that I find them so interesting.

(8/29/15)

Someone is hungry! (8/29/15)