Red-shouldered Hawk Finds a Meal

Maryville Greenbelt Lake with a Red-shouldered Hawk out for some sun after cold and snowy days. 

This is a narrative of my photo sequence post from late afternoon on December 27, 2022. I was taking a 3:45 pm walk down the hill from my hilltop condo near downtown Maryville, TN,  which is 20 miles from the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. I had my Canon Rebel EOS 7 with 75-300mm lens ready to snap photos of any birds or other interesting scenes I saw. 

The Maryville Greenbelt Lake is a block away steep downhill walk from my front door onto a portion of the 15 miles of local Greenway trails at the bottom of this hill. The paved trails loop on both sides of the lake and often have numerous birds, flowers, butterflies, bees…. during different times of the year. 

Left click on each photo for a better view in a gallery format. You can also scroll through them with the directional arrows. To return to the main page hit escape or click the X in the upper right hand corner of the picture.

I had captured a Robin, Mockingbird, and a couple of Song Sparrows with photographs above the lake as I was walking slowly looking and listening for birds. I happened to look over towards the lake and saw this Red-shouldered Hawk in a tree almost eye level with me about 25 feet away. 

The sun cast a shadow on this bird, but I was able to get a few shots before it lifted off and flew across the lake to perch in a tree several 100 feet away. I was next to a trail that goes down to the lake with a wooden footbridge across the channel to a peninsula where I could cross to get to the other side of the lake.

Downtown Maryville is less that 2 blocks up the hill from this foot bridge. I have been seeing one or both of a pair of Red-shouldered Hawks here about every 5-7 days since September 2022. 

I was moving quickly down towards the lake to cross the bridge to get closer to where the hawk was now perched up high in a tree. 

Most of the photos during this time were not easy to zoom in and get quality shots as I had my 75-300mm lens on my camera. I was moving at a fast pace and snapping photographs trying to catch views of this Hawk!

I was still about 300 feet away when I saw the hawk dive down to the ground by the lakeshore and then take off with something in its beak. 

By the time I got my camera up and a sightline towards the bird it had already started to lift off and fly. I was unable to get clear in focus shots as I was snapping away while quickly walking to get closer. 

 

The Hawk flew up to a smaller tree for a short perch time. I was able to get a picture where I could see this was a mouse in its beak due to the length of the tail. 

I got the photo below where I could tell it was bending its legs and flexing those powerful wings getting ready to go airborne again.

It did not stay long before taking off as it soared over the snowy ground still clutching its snack in that hooked beak.

The Hawk took off and flew over the lakeside trail still about 200 feet from where I was and went up higher in a tree up the bank near a parking garage. Trees were between us so I missed the feast that must have followed.

I walked slowly next to the brush growing on the Lake's shoreline and through some trees to stand next to a tree trunk. 

I was able to zoom in with my 300mm lens and get the resting Hawk about 75 feet away with the best photos of this magnificent bird I would get today. 

It was wary of me and did the head swivel a few times to look at me, but I got 7 photos before it flew off across a street and up over one of the streams flowing into the upper end of the Lake. 

I have learned from previous observations of Red- shouldered Hawks that they prepare for a takeoff by leaning over and having a slight arch of its back.

This last photograph was from a series of trying to snap quickly and follow the bird in flight as well as being in focus. 

The sun was behind me and the way the sunlight was on the Hawk higher up and moving away from me gave this different view of the birds wings and back when it is in flight. 

So much of outdoor photography depends on the lighting and the differences in the resulting pictures from bright sunshine, the direction and angle of the sunlight striking the subject, as well as clouds in the sky.

My pun from this Closer to Nature.... experience was:

"I guess this Red-shouldered Hawk was FED UP with me chasing and photographing it and  decided it was time to move on."

A fun afternoon stroll to get some fresh air and enjoy all the birds in the downtown area of this small city of just over 32,000 people. These Hawks are one of my favorites to see and photograph and then to write about my experience. 

I started this Closer to Nature.... Digital Nature Journaling Blog last August with examples of formats and styles for connecting to the beauty and healing powers of Nature. 

I retired from a seventeen year career as a High School Science and STEM teacher in May 2021. My Masters Action Research project (thesis) in 2004 was in “Writing to Learn”. 

I worked with several classes of ninth grade Special Education Students. A colleague and I developed some methods to get many of these students to feel comfortable putting words onto paper. 

Creating and writing these Digital Nature Journals from photographs has been beneficial with “my writing to learn” and has given me so much more knowledge about the biodiversity found in this local Greenbelt area that is right outside my door.

I encourage you to try making your own Nature Journals and remember to write for yourself first!

Another Post in Closer to Nature about Red-shouldered Hawks near Downtown Maryville TN. Click on the blue text (link) below to view.

Red-shouldered Hawks Oct 16, 2022 Post

Maryville Alcoa Tn Greenway Google Map

PDF Map of Maryville Alcoa Greenway

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