“Elena,” our neighborhood Red-Shouldered Hawk. Photo ©Erika Burkhalter. Photo taken with a Nikon D500 and a 500 mm 1:5.6 PF ED Nikkor lens.

Photography, Nature

Elena, my “Backyard” Red-Shouldered Hawk.

Tales from the neighborhood

“Hi, I’m Elena. I’m the neighborhood hawk. I live here with my lover, Antonio.

You might have met my cousin, Andromeda, and her mate, Alonso, last week.

Andromeda. Photo ©Erika Burkhalter. Photo captured with a Nikon COOLPIX P1000.

They live in the country, not too far from here. They’re trying to start a family, as you can see.

“I love you, Honey. Let’s make some babies.” Photo ©Erika Burkhalter

Antonio and I live in the big pine trees in the Burkhalter yard. I like to keep my eye on things from this tall one opposite the blonde lady’s office balcony.

“I like to keep my eye on things.” Photo ©Erika Burkhalter.

Since we live in the suburbs, we have a lot going on around here. And my mate and I have so much to discuss while we do those big circles in the sky, calling ‘Kee-yah’ all the way up to the tops of the warm air convection drafts.