Happy Halloween From The Headless Hawk

Happy Halloween from the Headless Hawk – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/640, ISO 320, +0.7 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR, natural light, not baited

Happy Halloween

Our eyes can play tricks on us and that is what happened with this “headless” Red-tailed Hawk that I photographed last October at Farmington Bay WMA. The Red-tailed Hawk isn’t headless at all. The head of the hawk is simply hidden from our view because the young hawk was preening feathers on its back. When I took this photo I knew it might make for an interesting Halloween greeting.

I was going to share this image last year on Halloween but then I found a Common Loon in an uncommon location on October 30th and shared photos of that loon on Halloween instead. The loon was a real treat as it floated and foraged on the Bear River.

The Headless Horseman is a mythical figure who has appeared in folklore since the middle ages as well a fictional character from the 1820 short story “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” by American author Washington Irving. The Headless Horseman is also a popular costume worn by many on Halloween.

This Headless Hawk is not a mythical creature and is simply an optical illusion that I was able to photograph on a bright, chilly October morning. Is it is trick, a treat, or both?

I’ll leave that up to you! Have a safe and happy Halloween.

Life is good.

Mia

Click here to see more of my Red-tailed Hawk photos plus facts and information about this species.