The Raptors are Back!

With the warmer weather that is usually associated with spring, our prairie rodents always surface!  But before long, the prairie skies are filled with the high pitch screams of soaring raptors!  The 'hawks' are back!  I find raptors fascinating!  Their incredible, razor-sharp, eye-sight and their stealthy flight is amazing!

This is a couple of 'light phased' Swainson's Hawks (Buteo swainsoni) that are nesting in some big trees north of home.  They arrived last week and appeared to have had a bit of rough migration.  However, the snow has stopped, the sun is out and their feathers now look preened!  I am attempting to master full bore 'manual' on my camera and catching raptors in flight can be tricky!  Especially when they swoop down from a tree top screeching!!  Someday I hope to master shutter speed and aperture!  Haha!  In the mean time, I continue to have the greatest respect for wildlife photographers!  And I am putting a plea out to my hubby for a 'bigger, better, lens!'