Female American Kestrel With Prey
American Kestrels are fascinating falcons, they are tiny, colorful and at times quite pugnacious.
The Courtship and Copulation of a pair of Red-tailed Hawks
Yesterday I was able to see and photograph a pair of Red-tailed Hawks courting and copulating in Tooele County, Utah.
White Gyrfalcon – Yet another escaped falconry bird!
In the four and a half years I have been in Utah I have seen and photographed four escaped falconry birds, one in 2009, two in 2012 and yesterday I photographed another one, an escaped White Gyrfalcon.
Northern Harrier along the shore of the Great Salt Lake
Two years ago I could often find Northern Harriers hunting along the causeway to Antelope Island State Park and I photographed a series of images of this female Northern Harrier on February 16th of that year.
Cedar Valley Red-tailed Hawk
Just a simple Red-tailed Hawk in flight image that I took early last week in Cedar Valley on a bright, clear day.
Female Short-eared Owl on a snowy day
One year ago today the sky was cloudy, the fog was thick and the snow was blowing in northern Utah. I couldn't see the tops of the mountains or across the Great Salt Lake but I did spot this Short-eared Owl perched on a snow-covered bush on the causeway my way to Antelope Island.
Red-tailed Hawk in flight near the Oquirrh Mountains
One great bird can make a day or even an entire trip worthwhile and this particular Red-tailed Hawk photographed in Utah County has made two days wonderful so far.
A Red-tailed Hawk in Utah County
Today I have just a few images of a Red-tailed Hawk I spotted yesterday on a power pole in Utah County near the southern part of the Oquirrh Mountain Range.
Short-eared Owls photographed in fog and evening light
Both images are appealing to me because I enjoy the foggy softness of the female Short-eared Owl image and the warm, golden tones of the male Short-eared Owl photo.
Snow Birds – Rough-legged Hawks
But for me the "Snow Birds" I have grown to love here in Utah are Rough-legged Hawks who only visit in the winter and spend the rest of their lives breeding in high subarctic and Arctic regions.
Red-tailed Hawk On A Winter Day
One of the birds I photographed yesterday was this handsome Red-tailed Hawk that I spotted in a tree at Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area.
Red-shouldered Hawk In Flight
This Red-shouldered Hawk photo was taken in Florida in November of 2008 just after the hawk lifted off from an old snag near a Great Blue Heron I had been photographing.
Male American Kestrel resting near the shore of the Great Salt Lake
I was going to do a post about a Bald Eagle this morning but at the last minute had a change of mind and decided to work up this male American Kestrel that I photographed resting near the shore of the Great Salt Lake.
Red-tailed Hawk juvenile in low light conditions
In the winter I shoot a lot in fog, smog and low light conditions here in northern Utah but if you follow my blog you probably already know that and have heard me mention it a time or two (or four or a hundred).
Short-eared Owl in Glacier County, Montana
Two years ago I photographed this male Short-eared Owl in Glacier County, Montana on a fence post on the perimeter of some CRP (Conservation Reserve Program) land on an August evening.
Someday… I’ll Get My Dream Golden Eagle Photos
I have had so many opportunities with Golden Eagles and each time something goes wrong.
Rough-legged Hawk lifting off
Rough-legged Hawks are among my favorites of the raptors that over winter in the Salt Lake Valley of Utah because I only see them at this time of the year while they wait to head back to the subarctic and Arctic to breed.
Barn Owl Blur
Last week I did a post on the many nicknames used for Barn Owls and among them was "Ghost Owl" and for some reason when I first looked at this frame I thought the blurred wings did make it look "ghostly".
Barn Owl on a snowbank
I spotted this beautiful Barn Owl yesterday along the side of a dirt road at Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, the light was dreadful but I still enjoyed watching it as it captured prey and ate it, preened, flew and rested.
High key Red-tailed Hawk juvenile
This Red-tailed Hawk image was taken just after the juvenile lifted off from the nest box and while I love the pose I do wish the light had been a bit better.
Two hours with fog, frost and a four year old Bald Eagle
Patience is absolutely a must for bird photographers and it doesn't hurt to throw a little crazy in the mix too. Spending two hours in freezing temps to photograph a bird might be a little crazy.
Juvenile Female Northern Harrier – The Eyes Have It
Eye color can be used to sex juvenile Northern Harriers, brown for juvenile females and yellowish for the males and this harrier is a definite brown-eyed beauty.
Female Northern Harrier in flight at Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area
While I was photographing some ducks and grebes yesterday I spotted this female Northern Harrier in flight coming in from the south and when she flew over the water I was able to get a series of images of her against the sky.
Female American Kestrel and an American Pipit’s demise
I normally see American Kestrels with voles as prey but seeing her with the American Pipit once again showed me why American Kestrels used to be called Sparrow Hawks which is why some people probably still use that name.
Ferruginous Hawk in flight and chicks in a nest
Ferruginous Hawks are the largest hawk in North America which are only found in Canada and the United States and recent DNA analysis suggests that Ferruginous Hawks may be closer to Eagles in taxonomy than that of a hawk.
Scruffy sub-adult Swainson’s Hawk
Seriously, I wish I understood more about molting with many of the raptors including Swainson's Hawk and perhaps if I ever find some free time I will attempt to study molt patterns more closely.
Red-tailed Hawk adult at Farmington Bay WMA
I was happy that I found this adult Red-tailed Hawk at Farmington Bay WMA and that it did lift off after a bit because as handsome as they can be perched they are even more beautiful On The Wing.
Adult Red-tailed Hawk and Photoshop
I wouldn't license this Red-tailed Hawk image for print because it has been altered but I like the image without the wires.
Red-tailed Hawks – Mates for Life
For several years now I have been observing and photographing a mated pair of Red-tailed Hawks in the Centennial Valley of southwestern Montana that have a favorite perch that I often see them on.
Dorsal view of a Rough-legged Hawk in flight
I woke up to a fine layer of snow on the ground this morning and silly as it may sound that gets me excited for the birds that over winter in the Salt Lake Valley such as this Rough-legged Hawk.