Buteo lineatus

There's SO much that takes place first thing in the morning.  Unfortunately, most sleep through it, or even too busy rushing, to notice.

I was fortunate to be looking out the window first thing, like I do every morning, and was treated to an arriving Red-shouldered hawk.

This hawk generally hunts from a perch, waiting for its prey to reveal itself and then swooping down to snatch it from the ground or water surface and this dude did just that!  He sat up in the Boxelder tree for over 15 minutes, patiently survey the area.  Then all of a sudden he dropped out of the tree and swooped to the ground.  He missed his initial capture but stood there stomping the ground trying to scare out whatever vermin that was hiding, to no avail.

He then flew atop a metal fence post, and once again, contently waited.  Not sure how long he would have sat there but something spooked him and off he went.

A handsome bird for sure, and a very vocal one too!!