Red-shouldered hawk overhead

A red-shouldered hawk circled overhead on a thermal along the river bluffs, wings and tail fully spread to catch the lift. The translucent flight feathers lit up against the clear sky, showing the fine barring that’s a good field mark for separating this species from a red-tailed hawk at a distance.

Why it matters

Red-shouldered hawks favor wooded river corridors like this one, hunting from perches over water for frogs, snakes, and small mammals. Their sharp, repeated whistle is one of the more distinctive sounds along the Shenandoah in spring.

Getting the shot

1/2500s froze the wingtips completely while the bird banked. Shooting almost straight up meant working fast to keep the 180-600mm tracking as it drifted in and out of the sun.