Hope in a time of crisis

[haele]

15. Yesterday, as I came home from work, I got out of the car and saw a fledgeling hawk in the jacaranda

Only about 30 feet away and 15 ft. up. Surrounded by the early evening pale blue sky, the fern-like green leaves and the pale lavender flowers, she was clearly visible and gorgeously dangerous looking. I say "she", because the females are half again the size of males, and she was huge for a California red-tailed hawk, even with her adolescent fluff. Probably resting after hunting for the bunnies in the canyon below.
She still had the mottled feathering and down of a hawk that had just left the nest, and was calmly cleaning her wings. Gave me a couple glances when I got out of the car, but pretty much ignored me.

If it weren't for the shed between us, I would have tried to get closer to get a decent picture of her.

Haele