I had just been complaining about the lack of new birds for me to photograph when I looked up in this willow oak to see this red-tailed hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) before it took flight. What had initially caught my attention was the mockingbirds and bluejays who were attaching this hawk. I can't wait for fall so we can catch some new species of birds flying through on their way south. 
Red-Shouldered Hawks (Buteo lineatus) generally do not migrate and are native to the eastern and northeastern US. We have loads of them in Bismarck. and I have taken pictures of them in various locations around this area. Nevertheless, these guys are endangered and protected in some states like Michigan. Around here these hawks seem to be quite accustomed to our presence and are not easily spooked from their perch. They are a very solitary bird; I have never seen more than one at a time. It is reported that their lifespan in the wild is just over two years; that seems really short to me, but they do eat red meat exclusively (is there a lesson in that for us?). 
