When my friend Tony, of Batiste Bed Breakfast & Birds, told me to dig a small pond in the backyard because it would bring in more birds I smiled and thought "Cool! Maybe I can get some Warblers to come in." Never in my most far-flung imagination did I expect to look into the yard and find a Zone-tailed Hawk taking a bath!

You know when you don't expect to see something it sometimes does not process correctly? At first, I thought it was a Chihuahuan Raven. That would be pretty cool. Then I thought Gray Hawk, and that would be miraculous. When I finally realized that it was a ZTHA, I ran for my camera and started firing away.

My card filled just before he flew off. I reloaded and got a few flight shots as well. I keep saying it, and it keeps getting more reinforced; Arizona is AMAZING!
Shoot Date: April 9, 2018
Canon EOS 5D Mark III
Shutter priority ¹⁄₂₀₀₀ sec at f/5.6 ²⁄₃ EV
Lens: EF400mm f/2.8L USM +2x @ 800 mm
ISO: 1250