Unexpected Visitor

As a photographer, birds are a great subject.  I think back on hearing about bird watchers and bird photographers and I would think," Why? Birds are everywhere. Why focus on looking for them or taking pictures of them?"  Well, I think I've come up with some answers:

• Birds are everywhere in the world. When you are short on subjects to look at or photograph, you'll find plenty of birds
• An almost infinite number of species all with their own looks, colors, mannerisms, etc.
• Photographing and viewing birds usually brings you into nature
• Taking pictures of birds is not that super hard, but there are challenges unique to the subject
• You can practice numerous photographic principles while shooting birds
• When you focus on one type of bird, you can really tell the difference between an o.k. shot and a great shot.

There are many more reasons that "birding" is enjoyable(just ask the millions of people with bird feeders in their yards), but you get the point.  Tonights shot is from my backyard.  I came home from work and sat at my desk to check emails.  I saw out of the corner of my eye something fly into the backyard and when I looked I saw this guy perched on the tip of children's playset about 15 yards in front of me.  Never did I think he would sit for long, so I watched him a bit and then continued on with emails.  I see alot of hawks around here, but never this close.  After 10 minutes, my urges got to me and went out to my car to get my camera never thinking he would still be there when I came back in.  He was, so I grabbed a couple shots through the glass window.  After about 5-8 shots, I decided to try opening my window since this window has no screen on it (!@#$% cat ripped it up).  Hawks are known for being pretty skittish so I thought my shooting was over.  But, nope, he stayed.  He was focused on something down in the grass so I think that was my saving grace.  I started shooting through the open window, but the angle was at a point where I couldn't get the shot I wanted.  I proceeded to move my computer stuff out of the way, slowly climbed  my "not svelte" frame half on the desk and half off.  I think this particular hawk also had a bit of deafness since I was about as quiet as a my daughter and her girlfriends talking about the latest Justin Bieber album.  He sat and almost posed for me while I shot away for about 10 minutes.  And the best part of the story, besides a great shot of this hawk, is that my desk, a desk I built myself, is still here and in one piece.