It is finally raining at The Holler even though we are still in the midst of the worst recorded drought in California history.
The rain isn’t nearly enough, but at least it will keep the hawks alive for awhile.
I am unable to adequately describe the hawks, I love them so.
Words fail, photos make due.
Hawks are my friends here.
So glad we moved to this iffy place, one of Southern California’s last remaining wild spaces.
The Holler is built on a mountain with an empty valley below. Hawks often fly at our eye level or below, allowing us to look down on them as they soar. Normally hawks fly high, above us all.
I suspect we all need to live this way, wild and free, and above it all.
Cheers to you from the indescribably free Holler Hawks~
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They are magnificent birds Cindy and you have captured them so majestically. You have a real gift with that camera of yours.
Your kindness is motivating. Thank you~
Cindy they are magnificent!
Awwww, so kind of your my friend~ <3 <3
Not at all. They are amazing! bisous et calins!
Merci beaucoup mon ami~
Oh Cindy! very stunning photos!
(and they make me wonder why I have not written anything about eagle in my culture!)
😀
I never really know how to differentiate hawk and eagle. :))
Eagles are bigger. If I am not mistaken, you have some very large eagles in Indonesia and owls and maybe even Eagleowls?????
Cindy, I am not sure if we have eagleowls but we do have the very pretty (and endangered) Javanese hawk-eagle.
It was said to be the inspiration for artists and scholars in picturing Garuda, the mythological bird – which is also our national emblem. :))
When words are not enough there are pictures (excellent of course) or music,
The Last Good Time in Town
by (of course) the Eagles https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cqDXOdBWVHA
Work those shoulders
Well that uncooperative video failed to play. I will google the title~
Reblogged this on Voices and Visions.
Such kindness is most appreciated! Thank you ~ <3
Wow! What an amazing sight. Marvellous animals. Thanks Cindy.
They are pretty marvelous I agree! So glad you like them~
You are surrounded by such beauty – thanks for sharing. Saw that there were floods in Southern California- glad you’re okay.
No floods that I saw. We got about an inch and a 1/2 of gentle rain. Thank you for your thoughtful comment~
Reblogged this on Smorgasbord – Variety is the spice of life and commented:
This week’s pick from Cindy Knoke is a Red Tailed Hawk – a beautiful bird and in the early 2000’s we published a book in Spanish and English called the Red Tailed Hawk and the guest of honour at the launch dinner was the bird himself on his perch eyeing up my sirloin – thankfully the one on the plate…. Stunning photography as always. Thank you Cindy.
Well how wonderful! Is the book available on Amazon? I’d be interested in it. Thank you for your thoughtful reblog~
Hi Cindy – the author republished herself in 2007 when she set up her own company and I did see that there was a site selling for £40 rather than the 600$ being asked for on Amazon…http://benlongfalconry.co.uk/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=shop.flypage&product_id=18&category_id=15&manufacturer_id=0&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=26&vmcchk=1&Itemid=26 There may be more around in the original Spanish which is what we worked on. It was our first book in 2004 and we were thrilled to get an award for it.
Oh I am going to look for it! Thank you~
My Bay-Area sources repoted a couple of days of rain. Drink it up!
Oscar
Yes Northern Caly got more than we did, and the snow pack is building up in the Sierras, which means skiing!!!
Cindy these photos are stunning!! So beautiful are the majestic birds! <3
So thoughtful of you! <3
‘I suspect we all need to live this way, wild and free, and above it all.’ ‘Please yourself, and ride towards the horizon.’ Advice from two blogs that I will take to heart today.
Oh I love the ride to the horizon quote also. Thanks for sharing it~
Through Cindy’s lens
I see freedom
I see mischief
I see the chickens struggling
To protect their chicks
I see hunger
I see plotting
I see the themes of the strongest surviving
This life
Through Cindy’s lens
Is a life we must all learn from
Mum C.
Oh this is so beautiful! There is much that wild animals can teach us through observation about how to think about and live our lives. Thank you for knowing this and for writing it so eloquently! <3 <3
Was a pleasure. You know playing with words is my hobby and you are quite the photographer. Blessings dear Cindy.
Visa versa 2 U X 2 !
Such a handsome creature. What’s that? Sand all over him? Can’t be good for him. Sad. Hope the rains continue.
It is water drops!!
Water is good. I hated to think it might be sand.
They are beautiful and magnificent.
So kind & so appreciated!
How wonderful to have the opportunity to look down at those hawks when they’re flying! I think you are very sensible to move to such an uncluttered and beautiful landscape. It’s getting far too crowded where I live in the S.E. England and we have too much rainfall. But still, I’m luckier than some, as there are still plenty of birds around, although I rarely see hawks.
I will be on the lookout for birds when I arrive in the UK in May. I would appreciate pointers you may have on where to look. No hurry. Lots of time~
Personally, I love the coastlines of Norfolk and Suffolk, but you might like to do some more thorough research via http://www.camacdonald.com/birding/ukengland.htm
Somebody also mentioned a puffin colony they visited on a small island off the coast. I’ll ask them exactly where it was and get back to you about that one.
I suspect the wet hawk was really enjoying the rain, Cindy. We don’t see many here, but one took a ground squirrel next to our house the other day when I was looking out the window. –Curt
Oh that would make quite a shot! I saw two kill and pick up a six foot rattler!
I saw one take a snake off our property as well. Unfortunately, I didn’t have a camera present for either event. It isn’t that hawks give us much time. 🙂 –Curt
Exactly! I instantly regret not taking my camera on the rare occasions I don’t!
Beautiful photos! “Words fail, photos make due.” Well said. Nothing can quite capture the majesty of these creatures, but your photos are magnificent. 🙂
Such kindness is so motivating! Thank you~
Awesome…
So happy you enjoy them & cheers~
Magnificent creatures, fantastic photos. I love birds of prey.
I see buzzards in the valley near me but never close up.
I love their ‘lonely’ cries too.
At night I often hear an owl in one of the trees in my garden, and occasionally get fleeting glimpses of them in the lights.
Great to see these close up shots.
You might want to try imitating the owls hoo both cadence and tone. I get in very long back and forths with them. You are lucky you see them. It is so dark here, I rarely do! So glad you love the raptors too. The buzzards are such majestic fliers, and will flow low to get a better look at us. Love em all~
I did once see two eagles (or are they called lammergaus or something?) in the Pyrenees, just as I came off a chairlift. A moment that stopped me in my tracks. One of those times that nature leaves you speechless.
And I’ll try calling back as you suggest. Doesn’t one go ‘toowit’ and the other replies ‘towoo’? Or something like that? I think they’re barn owls.
Yes eagles do that to you definitely. I happened upon a bald eagle kill sight in Canada this summer. I got amazing shots which I posted of an eagle family so up close and so magnificent. Barn owls only scream, they don’t really hoo. It depends where you live which type of owls you have. You can google it to find out. We have Great Horned Owls who I rap with, and Barn Owls who sometimes scream. Owls are awesome~
WOW!!!!!
Like this word! 😉
Wow! Beautiful shots, Cindy. I’m so glad you finally got some rain.
I think more is forecast for next week. That could truly make a difference it if comes, the creek might start running again~
Lovely captures of these splendid birds, Cindy. I can’t imagine being able to look down on them. So happy that you have some rain at last. 🙂
Remarkable how overjoyed it made all creatures, human and non!
The hawk is a beauty, just love it! I hope you (&the hawks & all creatures) get decent rain soon. ♥♥♥
I do too and thank you my friend. How goes things with you?
Wow!!! Gorgeous shots!
So glad you enjoyed and I am a big admirer of you and your blog!
Amazing shots, Cindy. I am sure some birder/wildlife magazine would pay you for these. I love watching these birds fly, so effortless, and often without wing movements, just riding the thermals.
Yes the soaring is especially spectacular! They must feel like they are air surfing~
What a blessing rain is for your parched land Cindy I can feel the birds joy. You live in a wild wonderland.
So nice Pauline! It is very hard now to spend much time in a city!
Amazing!
Mil grazi~
Fantastic
Happy you enjoyed~
Great shots of these hawk beauties!
Merci beausoup~
lol 🙂
Hi Cindy! Out of all the large bird of prey I’ve always found the hawks to be the most fascinating. I’ve never seen one like these with auburn plumes. They’re gorgeous and as usual you’ve captured them beautifully. 😀
There is something compelling about hawks that I find hard to describe. It sounds like you feel as I do about them~
Dear Cindy, these are wonderful photos. I like the pictures very much.
Greetings from Silberdistel
Thank you and very glad you enjoyed!
Stunning. I was reading an article this morning that was saying that the drought in CA is suffering the worst effects of a drought in more than 1200 years. Even though the length isn’t the worst, it’s the heat that is shrinking all the surface water. Crazy.
Yes, it is devastating to watch. I hadn’t heard this factoid. but it sounds frighteningly possible~
I wish that the powers to be would wake up and start treating the earth better. Doesn’t mean horrible things won’t happen but maybe we can lessen the harshness.
Yes, we need less talk and more actions, but we always seem to be good at the talking part. All these, “Let’s have another international conference of climate experts and world leaders to discuss global warming.” Cost $25 million. Money devoted to actual action, zero. So frustrating. I try to make sure to never donate to non-profits that pay for “conferences or networking. ” It just means free trips for jerks…..
Beautiful pictures of the hawks, Cindy. I’ll keep praying you get more rain — but a little at a time so things don’t flood! 🙂
No danger of flooding so far, more rain may come next week…..
Beautiful and majestic hawk and lovely photos 🙂 Funny old weather…here it is like an iceberg and personally I’m praying for some hot sunny days! Or even some rain…at least it wouldn’t be -6 degrees then! Cool for Wolfie though 🙂
Yes, don’t you wish we could swap weather for just maybe one week? I’m game. Let’s do it!
What magnificent birds! I hope the rain continues for you – without the floods…
No danger of floods so far and I say bring em on, better than watching trees die~
Super, super, Cindy! Cheers! 🙂
Thank you my friend and happy weekend!
Same to you, my friend! 🙂
Thank you for this awesome post, and the kind visit as well!
Happy Sunday to you ina & cheers~
That is a fantasic series of photos. Wow.
Awww, honored & appreciative. Have a great Sunday~
Magnificent creatures! Just watching them makes one feel that you too can be so free.
Absolutely uplifting and powerful… Great gallery dear Cindy <3
Sending you all my best wishes!. Aquileana 😀
Now have a wonderful week, Cindy! 🙂
Do you know of a children’s novel (circa 1960s) titled “Rufus Redtail”? It’s a lovely read for any age.
Cindy,
Ceva miraculos se petrece, cand vin pe blogul tau.
Spiritul meu se invioreaza linistit, precum plutirea viguroasa dar lina a minunatei pasari din postul tau.
Si atunci, simt ca vecinatatea, apropierea ta sunt la fel de tonice si mirabile.
Cu drag!
Onu
Hawks and eagles are glorious to watch. Sounds like a perfect location to see them. Fine photography by the way.
Beautiful photos Cindy. I love watching hawks fly and float in the sky too, but have not been able to photograph them so well. It sounds like you live in a wonderful place.
Thanks for sharing your gifts. Brad
They are amazing!
Beautiful Bird! For sure we have to live free and wild an eat somebody. The strongest is staying alive. lol…
Laughing, we humans eat too many bodies. Red tails are far more conservative carnivores. We are the worst carnivores, and I am one, about once a week, sadly.
Your Holler is home to the brave and the free – for sure. How very beautiful your hawks are and of course you have captured that in your fabulous fotos.
I get the sense that you and I Dor love each each of the lands where we have landed with the same sort of reverence! <3
Hawks are amazing birds. You captured it well. A Red Tail flew into a neighbor’s bush today looking for food. While we have rain here in Maryland, It was odd behavior. It came up short as the small birds flew away
Oh how great it must have been to see one! Hopefully more will come and you will form an accord! A hawk accord! 😉
The sky. It’s blue! It is so refreshing to see such a vivid blue color.