Rough-legged Hawk portrait facing left – Nikon D500, f8, 1/320, ISO 250, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light, not baited
For eleven minutes yesterday morning this Rough-legged Hawk was my main point of focus as I took hundreds of photos of him at Bear River MBR. I drove up to the refuge very early in the morning and got to this hawk not long after the sun had risen over the Wasatch Mountains in the east. There was still a bit of the “golden light” that photographers look for and appreciate near dawn.
Adult male Rough-legged Hawk head on portrait – Nikon D500, f8, 1/500, ISO 250, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light, not baited
The male Rough-legged Hawk preened, looked around, shook his feathers, and looked at me sitting in my Jeep head on from his perch on top of a sign.
Over the years I have noticed that there are two types of Rough-legged Hawks. There are Rough-legged Hawks that take off when you are hundreds of yards away from them and those that are as sticky as the resin we find on pine bark. This is one sticky hawk.
I have been photographing a light morph Rough-legged Hawk in this area since the fall of 2016. It might even be the same bird each year. In 2015 there was a darker male Rough-legged Hawk in the same area.
Rough-legged Hawk portrait facing right – Nikon D500, f8, 1/500, ISO 250, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light, not baited
I was so grateful to have this Rough-legged Hawk in my viewfinder yesterday morning in the soft golden light. It made up for the portraits I wasn’t able to take of him last week due to circumstances beyond my control.
I believe that Rough-legged Hawks can look very regal…
Goofy looking Rough-legged Hawk portrait – Nikon D500, f8, 1/640, ISO 250, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light, not baited
Until they don’t!
This portrait of the male Rough-legged Hawk was taken while he was preening his chest feathers and I couldn’t resist sharing it because when I saw it on my monitor at home the photo made me laugh and after an incident that happened on my way to the refuge I needed to laugh.
This male Rough-legged Hawk wasn’t doing much and I decided to head down the road. I thanked him out loud and told him that I’ll look for him again. As I drove slowly past him he didn’t even ruffle a feather.
Rock chip in my Jeep’s windshield
My drive up to Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge early yesterday morning was not without its problems. It was still fairly dark and I was just south of Ogden when I heard a bang that sounded like a gun shot. Having heard that sound before I knew my Jeep had been struck by a flying rock. Sure enough, there was a gravel truck in front the car that was in front of my Jeep. It was dark enough that I couldn’t see if my windshield had been damaged. When there was enough light I could tell that my windshield had a new rock chip near the edge of the glass on the drivers side. This is rock chip #3 on my windshield and they have all been caused by semi/gravel trucks.
The rock chip looks bigger on my computer screen than it actually is because I used the macro/selective focus feature on my cell phone to take this image. Safelite will fix that chip later today.
I’m still glad I went up to the refuge despite the newest rock chip badge on my Jeep.
Life is good.
Mia
Click here to view more of my Rough-legged Hawk photos plus facts and information about this species.
This series of R/L Hawk portraits is terrific. There’s a lot to see in these pics. I always marvel at how you capture the depth in the eyes of your sujects. Really gorgeous. Thanks Mia.
That’s one helluva pop on your windshield. You probably already know this, but some gravel companies will cover the cost for windshield replacement if you can identify the offending truck. My brother used to be an accountant for a gravel company here in So Cal and he said it was their policy to cover the cost of windshield repair/replacement because it was cheaper than fighting a claim. Not sure how it works in Utah but I thought I would mention it.
If he was sitting on a one way sign, Mia, I have a few shots of him also.
I do love your portraits – and this series is no exception. I am sorry about the chip – but glad it can be fixed.
When I saw the picture of the windshield chip, I thought is was some kind of strange bird. lol Nice pictures of the hawk. Why do the chips always end up on the drivers side of the window? I got one in a new windshield just about eye level.
I looked at all your pictures of roughies and see that those that are gendered are all males.
Sorry about the rock chip. That us just one of many reasons why I hate gravel trucks. But I love, love your hawk photos and the comical pose was so priceless I too had to laugh. Thanks for sharing.
To me, Rough-legged Hawks have the sweetest faces. Why is it that some birds are so skittish & some are ‘ho-hum’ about cars & people nearby? My immediate thought of your photo of the chip was ‘drone’. Then I thought that it was some kind of bug that you had discovered.
Then I read what caused it. I think you would have preferred a drone or bug to another chip.