New Year's Day we went to Corvallis to visit my folks. Part of the visitation included a hike to the local park on Bald Hill. As we were walking from the fairgrounds up to the hill, Mark pointed to a white flash along a fence: it was a hawk of some sort.
I zoomed my camera in on it, took some shots, and then saw that the field was apparently open. So. I started walking toward the hawk. Closer and closer. Wishing I had a tripod to keep the camera more steady. Then the sun reflected golden from the hawk's eye -- a solar spark jumping through my camera and piercing my vision. Hypnotized by this Eye of Horus moment, I stalked closer; only part of me heard Mark say, "We've lost him."
Eventually, the hawk flew away. I'm not sure if I got too close, or if it was done done resting and wanted to get on with hunting. It swooped over the grasses of the field several time and once or twice appeared to strike at something on the ground.
I never did catch back up with the family, which had hiked past the Old Barn and took secret, twisting trails to the top of Bald Hill. And actually, I wasn't exactly sure if they had gone via the way of the barn or if they had taken the left-hand path to the top. When I did make it to the Barn, there was no sign of them -- so I returned back the way I came and walked back to the fairgrounds.
Some texts were exchanged and I was waiting for my niece to possibly appear as a vanguard, when I noticed that the hawk (or a hawk) had returned. I slowly stalked closer, snapping photos as it disemboweled and ate a rodent. The sun had sunk and was about an hour away from setting when I took the second set of photos.
Later, after consulting with my brother-in-law and various Facebook Friends, we couldn't decide if this was a Sharp-Shinned Hawk, a Goshawk, a Harrier, or some other kind of accipiter.
More shots here:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/LSdKdRNQP62E6sAe6
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