Hawks Roosting On Methodist Church Steeple (Series)

     Every single year, for as long as I have lived in Framingham, I've noticed red tailed hawks perched on the steeple of a Methodist Church. This makes sense, because it gives a view from a high point without being blocked by any foliage. This allows hawks to see every mouse, vole, rabbit, or squirrel that scurries out into the grassy aqueduct, church vegetable garden, and church courtyard. This year, I've decided to pull over and take photos whenever one of the hawks are up there...

On June 18th, at 4:36 am, I saw one finally perched. I pulled over fast into the church parking lot, and took my camera out, turned it on, adjusted the zoom, hovered my finger over the shutter, and missed the moment when the hawk saw me, and started flapping towards the aqueduct. I clearly had startled it. I did take the opportunity to take some silhouette flight shots though...

                                                                     Too bad it was so dim...

The first day of the year when I caught one perched and took photos in time was on June 22nd at 3:05 pm. It was overcast, but there was still plenty of light...

For a few days, I passed the steeple and saw nothing there, but on June 27th, at 9:16, I found one preening, this time on the right facing prong of the cross. Taken on a clear day.

                                        Another photo from the 27th, zoomed out all the way.

It was a while before I checked the steeple again, but my next sighting was on a rainy day, (August 9th, at 9:07 pm). Back to the left side.

   On September 5th, at 9:09 am...

I also saw plenty of other hawks in the fall, including one that perched on a power line pole near lake cochituate...

Who took off, and headed for the lake when I got too close...

...as well as the hawk sightings in the two posts below. I'm not sure how I found 2 hawks, both with prey within the same week, maybe hawks hunt more in October??

Hawk With Gray Squirrel

Hawk With Meadow Vole

My last sighting at the Methodist church of the year (so far), was on October 25th, at 4:08 pm. It was already getting dark, and was overcast and dim to begin with...