Day 50: Red-Tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) is arguably the most commonly seen hawk in the Pacific Northwest. Drive down Interstate 5 between Olympia and Portland, and you'll think they roost on every other fencepost. That said, you don't often get close enough to them for a good photo, but when I spotted this guy on the wire today, I took a chance that he'd still be there after I'd turned around and driven back. To ensure that I got a shot, I pulled off the side of the road at a considerable distance, stepped just outside the door and zoomed in. Then I began walking slowly toward him, snapping additional pictures as he filled more and more of the frame. This was as close as he allowed me to approach. The very next shot showed only a blur of tailfeathers. When he resumed a position on the wire, the sun was at his back, effectively ending the photo session without significantly altering his view of the adjacent field where, I am certain, his next meal would soon emerge.
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