Hawks, Eagles, Ospreys and Vultures

My Year of Bird Photography in 2017

By |December 31st, 2017|Categories: American Tree Sparrows, American White Pelicans, Birds, Common Goldeneyes, Green-tailed Towhees, Idaho, Prairie Falcons, Red-naped Sapsuckers, Red-tailed Hawks, Rough-legged Hawks, Ruby-crowned Kinglets, Short-eared Owls, Swainson's Hawks, Utah, Yellow-rumped Warblers|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I love what I do, I love my subjects and it doesn't matter if I find them close to home or further away. I am blessed. 2017 has been wonderful and I am excited for what 2018 may bring.

Immature Light Morph Rough-legged Hawk in Flight & Landing

By |December 23rd, 2017|Categories: Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Rough-legged Hawks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Eight days ago I spent time photographing an immature, light morph Rough-legged Hawk at Farmington Bay WMA in northern Utah.

Immature Rough-legged Hawk – Lift Off, Landing & Lunch

By |December 16th, 2017|Categories: Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Rough-legged Hawks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Yesterday morning I was able to photograph an immature Rough-legged Hawk lifting off, landing and lunching at Farmington Bay WMA in northern Utah.

Wondering How the Lone Surviving Red-tailed Hawk Juvenile Is Doing

By |November 25th, 2017|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, Red-tailed Hawks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I've been thinking a lot about the lone surviving Red-tailed Hawk from the nest that blew down because of strong winds earlier in June.

Birds and Beasts in a November 2012 Snow Storm on Antelope Island

By |November 10th, 2017|Categories: American Bison, Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Coyotes, Davis County, Red-tailed Hawks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

The birds and beasts on Antelope can survive the harsh winters here but as each years passes I wonder how they will be able to adapt to our changing climate. I can't help but be concerned.

Feathered Tarsi – Ferruginous & Rough-legged Hawks Have Feathered Legs

By |November 7th, 2017|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Ferruginous Hawks, Rough-legged Hawks, Swainson's Hawks, Tooele County, Utah, West Desert|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

North America has two hawk (buteos) species that have feathered tarsi, or legs, those two species are Ferruginous Hawks and Rough-legged Hawks.

Immature Red-tailed Hawk Looking At The Rising Sun – Plus a New Personal Challenge

By |November 3rd, 2017|Categories: Birds, Red-tailed Hawks, Stansbury Mountains, Tooele County, Utah, West Desert|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I have wondered lately if I have gotten into a bit of a rut, photographically speaking, of always wanting to have the sun over my shoulder with "perfect" light falling directly on my subject.

Welcome to the Carrion Cafe – Turkey Vulture & Landscape Composite

By |October 26th, 2017|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, Turkey Vultures, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , |

Two days ago I saw a sign I hadn't seen before and it had me laughing out loud, the sign simply said "Carrion Cafe" in an area that earlier in the year may have had a Turkey Vulture hanging around or soaring overhead.

Ferruginous Hawk, Harvest Moon and the Rising Sun

By |October 7th, 2017|Categories: Birds, Ferruginous Hawks, Stansbury Mountains, Tooele County, Utah, West Desert|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Truthfully I had better luck with the moon and mountains than I did birds yesterday except for one handsome Ferruginous Hawk perched along the road near farm lands.

Time to be on the Lookout for Juvenile Swainson’s Hawks

By |August 15th, 2017|Categories: Beaverhead County, Birds, Centennial Valley, Montana, Swainson's Hawks|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I saw my first juvenile Swainson's Hawk of the year last week and although it didn't give me any opportunities to take better images of it I was happy to see it perched on a power pole.

Juvenile Red-tailed Hawk Giving Me the Eye

By |August 9th, 2017|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, Red-tailed Hawks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

This juvenile Red-tailed Hawk may have looked like it was giving me the eye when I photographed it but it was actually looking for one of its parents to bring it some food.

Juvenile Red-tailed Hawk Rousing While Lifting Off

By |July 31st, 2017|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, Red-tailed Hawks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , |

As a bird photographer who spends enormous amounts of time in the field with my feathered subjects I am able to see avian behaviors that other people don't see who aren't focused on birds.

One Serious Looking Red-tailed Hawk Juvenile and a Survivor Too

By |July 23rd, 2017|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, Red-tailed Hawks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I was pleased and relieved to see the surviving Red-tailed Hawk juvenile perched on a corral close to the edge of the road and looking well fed and healthy.

Swainson’s Hawk with Damage to the Feathers of the Underwing Coverts

By |July 15th, 2017|Categories: Beaverhead County, Birds, Centennial Valley, Montana, Swainson's Hawks|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I simply don't know what caused this kind of feather damage and I hope that someone can give me a better idea of what was going on with this Swainson's Hawk.

Photographing a juvenile Red-tailed Hawk – Remembering to Breathe and Relax

By |July 5th, 2017|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, Red-tailed Hawks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I needed time out with the birds yesterday and this juvenile Red-tailed Hawk helped me to relax, breathe and remember that things have a way of working out.

No Willet Split Plus Other Nerdy Bird News

By |July 2nd, 2017|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Northern Harriers, Northern Shrikes, Pinellas County, Utah, Willets|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Just because Willets weren't split this year doesn't mean they won't be split in the future, who knows what changes will be made a year from now.

Red-tailed Hawk Fledglings And Some Sad News

By |July 1st, 2017|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, Red-tailed Hawks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I spotted two of the other Red-tailed Hawk chicks that I have been following since early spring and was delighted that they have now fledged and have both learned to fly.

Red-tailed Hawk Chicks – The Wind Blew Their Nest Away

By |June 15th, 2017|Categories: Birds, Nesting Birds, Red-tailed Hawks, Utah, Wildlife Ethics|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I saw the Red-tailed Hawk chicks near where the nest had been though and I spent less than two minutes with them and took a few images before leaving them alone.

Light Morph Ferruginous Hawk in the West Desert

By |June 3rd, 2017|Categories: Birds, Ferruginous Hawks, Stansbury Mountains, Tooele County, Utah, West Desert|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Yesterday I was able to photograph the largest buteo in North America, a gorgeous Ferruginous Hawk that was on top of a hill with the Stansbury Mountains of the West Desert in the background.

Turkey Vultures – Feathered Gatekeepers

By |May 17th, 2017|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, Turkey Vultures, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Normally I prefer natural perches for my subjects but I rather enjoyed photographing these Turkey Vultures and thinking of them as feathered gatekeepers.

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