There’s something timeless about a raptor on the wing — scanning the land with eyes sharp enough to spot a mouse from a mile away. They wait, they watch, and when the moment is right, they strike with precision and power. These birds embody focus, tenacity, and wild grace.

And then there are the owls — silent and secretive, yet somehow all-seeing. When I meet the gaze of an owl, it feels like the forest itself is watching me. Their eyes hold mystery, wisdom, and something ancient. Every owl encounter lingers in my memory long after the moment has passed.

“Looking at a hawk, you don't feel you're just looking at a bird. You feel you're being scrutinized by something that’s both more and less than a being like yourself.”
— Helen Macdonald, H is for Hawk