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 (below, second from left), 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 (top image). 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.