Backyard Bird

Yesterday afternoon, Clover started barking wildly, like someone or something was invading her territorial space in the backyard. Tanner and I went to investigate...

and immediately noticed a large raptor perched on our back fence, surveying the alfalfa field beyond. I grabbed my camera and took a few pic's, although the lighting was not that good,

and it certainly seemed larger in person. In the years that we have lived here, we have often seen evidence in our yard left by birds of prey in the form of their "pellets" (regurgitated hair and skeleton from a recent meal) which are produced by all raptors. But we have never actually seen one of them in our backyard like this one.

This one didn't seem to view my presence as a threat, until I approached to within about 15'. He/she apparently decided that was close enough, so he leaned forward, spread his wings, and took flight! I have been closer to similar big birds while in flight, but not on the ground. I think it was a good omen portending some airtime for meeeeeeee!