I found this female Eastern Pondhawk with prey (I can’t say more than that…I can not make out exactly what she is eating in any of my shots) at Quest Pond in Kennebunk ME. I angled around her, in and out, for several moments attempting to catch a clear view, but her posture, with the wings forward (typical Pondhawk), and her position on the limb, kept the prey well shielded. Several Pondhawks, both male and female, frequent the edge of the forest here where there is a slight opening, about 250 feet from the pond’s edge, and generally shaded.

I like this shot because it shows off the transparency of the wings.

Canon SX40HS. Program with iContrast and –1 EV exposure compensation.  1680mm equivalent (840mm optical zoom plus 2x digital tel-converter function). f5.8 @ 1/200th @ ISO 125.

Processed in Lightroom for intensity, clarity, and sharpness.