When I saw this Red-tailed Hawk standing in a field (below, left), I expected it to fly off as I approached
with my camera. But the hawk took a brief look at me before returning to staring at the ground. Every
minute or so the hawk would spread its wings and hop (top image), so I assumed it had a rodent that it
was releasing and recapturing. But when the hawk suddenly pulled its head back I saw a snake attempting
to strike it (below, second from left). After working on its prey for a while, the hawk carried the still wiggling
snake to a nearby tree, draped it over a limb (below, third from left) and began to dine (below, right). The
images were captured in Sharon Woods Metro Park near Columbus, Ohio.