My folks were following behind me in their vehicle as we drove through various basins and thermal areas along the west side of Yellowstone National Park. It had been raining the entire day, yet we found many things to photograph and enjoy.
Raindrops clinging to evergreen needles kept us entertained for a good hour!
With a Raptor Exhibition on the horizon, every large bird that moves seems to catch my attention. This hawk was no exception. As we pulled into a loop, it flew over the cars, landing on a snag in a small meadow. The precipitation had its feathers pressed close to its body. As I grabbed my 300mm lens, the hawk gave itself a nice shake relieving some of the moisture that had collected. As I saw the one feather begin to float to the ground, I knew that’s where my focus had to be.
My parents are the best in helping me come up with names for my images. Before the day was done, Mom had the winning title for this one: “98 Feathers”. Perhaps it was the sheer amount of road trips we took as a growing family when we enjoyed too much superfood and sang songs to keep us occupied along the miles. But as soon as she said it, it fit!
Here is the same bird, as it landed farther back in the meadow. My best guess on ID is a Red-tailed Hawk. I’m still learning, so if you know that it is something different, I’d love to learn more!
