I had to attend a funeral today in my hometown. Afterward, I drove my mom back to her house and planned to head out shortly after.
But as I was pulling into the driveway, something caught my eye. Out in the pasture, right among the cows as they grazed on fresh hay, was a caracara.
On a whim this morning, I’d grabbed my camera and the 100–400 lens on the way out the door, just in case I spotted something worth photographing. I’m so glad I did.
I hurried over to the pasture where I’d seen it a few minutes earlier, half expecting it to be gone. Somehow, it was still there.
The sky had been cloudy most of the day, but for a brief window the clouds opened up and the light poured through. I found a low spot near the edge of a pond, dropped down to ground level, and started shooting. A few moments later, I walked away with this image, a small burst of wild luck on an otherwise heavy day.