The Raptor's Eye

Imagine my surprise
to be walking out to the studio
yesterday morning
and look up to see
an enormous bird
perched
in our dying apple tree.

(alerted to his presence
by a very angry squirrel
yelling at him
from a safe distance)

I love these eyes

Here he is
in all his avian glory.

Some quick research
revealed that he is called
the "Broad-winged Hawk"
and he was winging his way
to his winter home
in Central America.

Why do we humans
feel such empathy
for these fierce birds?

Perhaps because
we are so much like them.








And here's the lunch
he was carrying
in his fearsome claw.