A Cooper’s hawk startled me as I rounded the bend in the evening from western South Beach, winding through healthy and lush meadow habitat on my bicycle!

Hopping out of the meadow grasses, the beauty landed right in front of me and was patient while I removed my backpack and managed to get my camera in time to take this photo.

Very agile in pursuing small birds within trees and bushes, these hawks, migrating now, can rest and recover on Fishers Island.

From the Field, Field Note by Justine Kibbe, Sept. 4, 2019