Red-tailed Inspiration

Whenever I see a Red-tailed Hawk, I'm reminded of my developing trilogy Of the Wing. You see, the stories of my trilogy (am now writing book 3) were inspired by red-tails, hawks that I often saw soaring over the pastures and woodlands of my property in Clearfield County, Pennsylvania.

At that time I took daily walks through the woods with my dogs (among them, Sammy, a large and shaggy sheepdog who features largely in book 1, The Legend Awakes). So frequently did I see these hawks, red tails ablaze in the sun, that eventually I took a message from the sightings--that I should write a book about a girl and a Red-tailed Hawk.

Now, years later and living in Gettysburg, I still see meaning in sightings of red-tails. To me, they carry a message of encouragement to keep on writing. Just yesterday I saw two: one flew onto a tree branch where another waited, apparently a mated pair. I conceived of a comparable scene between hawks in the opening chapter of book 2, The Ivory-billed Obsession. How coincidental that I should live a scene once created in my fiction. And if you wonder why two red-tails open a book about a fabled woodpecker ... well, you'll have to read it to find out.

I posted this YouTube video because it contains lots of interesting information about the raptor that rules supreme throughout the books of my trilogy: The Red-tailed Hawk.

You can learn more at the trilogy web site: http://www.ofthewing.com

Till next time . . . Keep birds in your heart!

Georgia Anne

White-throated Sparrow

Just posted on the White-throated Sparrow not too long ago and here I go again. Can't help it--so many of them around and this time I caught an almost "good" photo. Too bad I clipped his bill in the shot.

I also wanted to share a great birding web site (Audubon, Seattle) . . .

http://www.birdweb.org/birdweb/bird/white-throated_sparrow#

- - - which provides a perfect image of his crisp white throat and white striped head. But as the description points out, there are two color morphs for this sparrow--a white and tan morph. Thus you're as likely to see one as the other. Looks like a caught the image of a white morph, though I've seen the tan morph in my yard.

I also like Audubon's range map. It's more visible than Cornell's (All About Birds), though neither provide a blow-up large enough for my eyes, except for the state map of Washington. Must check to see if Audubon has a comparable site for Pennsylvania.

Till next time . . . Keep bird in your heart!

Georgia Anne Butler