On a sunny, cloudless Sunday afternoon, while seeking inspiration for a painting in the wooded area behind my home, I heard a loud, piercing screech off to my left. Turning to look up, I saw a red-tailed hawk landing gracefully on a tree branch twenty-five feet directly in front of me.
In this spiritual moment, I stood motionless like a statue, holding my breath and hoping not to be discovered. It was too late—the hawk had already spotted me with its penetrating, sharp eyes. I felt its gaze locked onto me.
Although the hawk's natural colors were striking, I decided to paint this vision in a ghostly manner, with white and bluish feathers. I wanted to capture it in a princely pose, as if surveying its kingdom with authority. You can view my painting, Red-tailed Hawk, in the Birds, Bees, and Butterfly gallery.
Just then, the hawk's head turned, seeming to catch sight of something below. Staring at a nearby thicket, it tensed up, leaned forward, and, like a lightning bolt, swooped down, sailing with wings spread wide, claws at the ready. In an instant, it disappeared from sight as its screech echoed through the trees once more.
Many thanks to Hawks From Every Angle by Jerry Liguor for inspiration.
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Peace and love. Russ Myers