Last week, while driving by an area that gets it's fair share of traffic, I spotted several large birds sitting on a fence off the roadway.  I pulled our old SUV far past the place where the birds were waiting, and exchanged driving duties with my wife.  I had her maneuver the truck as close as we could to the as yet unidentified birds.  I grabbed the camera I had with me and stuck it out the window of our rig, and there in the viewfinder were three young juvenile Cooper's Hawks with their mother! 

     I couldn't quite believe my luck, as you don't see Hawks of any species just sitting around Cooper's Hawks, juveniles, WyomingYoung Cooper's Hawks photographed in Wind River Canyon, Wyoming. together waiting to be photographed.  The engine had been turned off as I took a few preliminary bursts with the Canon.  At that moment an old noisy pick-up pulled near and honked, then gave my dear wife the Italian salute and sped off in a cloud of smoke: I continued shooting away, only vaguely aware of his rude behavior.  Needing to get a little closer, because I'd foolishly left the "Big Monster Camera" at our house, I tried to sneak out the door and took a few more bursts. 

     By this time it was obvious that these juvenile Cooper's Hawks didn't really give a damn about me, so I tried to get a little closer for a better picture.  One of the Hawks got nervous and flew to a nearby tree, while the mother and the other two stayed put, so I took this moment to frame some shots and maybe get the exposure right this time; I wanted the two young Hawks together on that western art fence.  

     Eventually all this fun has to end sometime, and the mother Hawk took off with her two other kids in tow; and darted by me at a speed I'd only done in a foreign car.  I just stood there for a moment trying to process what had just happened, and realized serendipity had just stepped in to give me a thrill again.  You see, when you live in one of the few remaining wild places, the wild animals are all around you for the photographing; but as it turns out most people never see these "wild things."  I've had people stand right next to me here in the Wind River Canyon, while I was photographing wildlife, and ask me, "What are you taking pictures of ?"....they don't see it and they never will without guidance. 

     In my extensive experience growing up with "Great White Hunters" and photography, one thing about Mother Nature is clear; the animals and birds are there....you just don't see them yet.  This isn't a zoo, so you must see the "things that aren't supposed to be there" just like in elementary school.  Opportunities like this happen to me so often that my wife just shakes her head and says, "How did you see that?" 

     Open your mind and loose the preconceptions of what wildlife is supposed to do, and then look for the things other people cannot see.  It's there, right in front of you, every day; in your backyard tree, in the park, or on the way to work.  That wild animal or bird is trying not to be noticed, and it's your responsibility to see him when he doesn't want to be seen, and other rude drivers are ignoring everything but their cell phone and coffee.