More on earning a living

The quickest way to Portland from the Peninsula (in non-tourist season anyway,) includes a long, straight run on Highway 26.  If you drive it, you've noticed that this highway has become incredibly busy as development  moves from  Beaverton, Hillsboro, North Plains and on westward.  I always keep my eyes open for  the red-tail hawks that are commonly found sitting hunkered on the big overhanging lights along here. They may even clutch the power line in massive claws, teetering back and forth - not a very fierce and dignified hawk posture.  But these are excellent lookouts  for  meals.  The grassy median and the roadsides are a great place for mice and voles.  The hawks can see the slightest movement below them, even with all the wind movement from the traffic. They will launch downward with great concentration and speed to grasp their prey with strong talons.  If you see this happening, watch for the next thing.  Once the prey is secured, the hawk will spread her wings out and forward on either side of the unlucky catch.  This is called 'mantling' and from the fierce look-around by the hawk that accompanies this action, I'd say it's a serious warning for other predators to back off.
It's getting trickier for raptors to navigate Highway 26 these days.  There are more lanes, faster traffic, bigger trucks.  The hawk has to time her swoop for a meal so that she isn't falling directly into the path of a car traveling at 60-plus mph.  Obviously, sadly, some don't time it so well. But  I see very few road-killed hawks  along 26.   I credit their sublime ability to move in the air, to gauge distance and speed.   More often, they're seen pulling off tasty bits of lunch as traffic roars by in both directions.  Again, just trying to make a living.  A female hawk may fly up and away with her captured meal to take to her nest to feed young.   This is fun to watch when a big long snake is the prey and the hawk flies, snake dangling,  over a convertible. 
When you drive 26, be on the lookout in the distance and you may be able to enjoy seeing wild nature at work during rush hour.