Lately, whenever I make it over to Delta Ponds, I look for my friend, the hawk. This Red-shouldered Hawk has been there a while, so hunting must be good. According to the Audubon Guide to American Birds website: "Usually hunts by watching from a perch, either within forest or in open, swooping down when it locates prey. Sometimes flies very low in open areas, taking creatures by surprise. May use hearing as well as sight to locate prey." That is just what this one was doing, watching from a perch looking for something to swoop down on.

I have seen it do this a couple times, a privilege to see! The quote mentions the hawk uses hearing as well as sight. I didn't know that before. There is noise in the Ponds from a nearby highway, but I guess that doesn't prevent it from hearing prey. They are amazing hunters. See: http://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/red-shouldered-hawk