raptors

Red-tailed Hawk adult at Farmington Bay WMA

By |November 16th, 2013|Categories: Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Red-tailed Hawks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , |

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.

Red-tailed Hawks – Mates for Life

By |November 8th, 2013|Categories: Beaverhead County, Birds, Centennial Valley, Montana, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Red-tailed Hawks|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

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

By |November 5th, 2013|Categories: Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Rough-legged Hawks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

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.

Red-tailed Hawk perched above Elk Lake, Montana

By |October 29th, 2013|Categories: Beaverhead County, Birds, Centennial Valley, Montana, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Red-tailed Hawks|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , |

This past September I spotted an adult Red-tailed Hawk perched high on a rocky canyon wall as it looked out over the cold waters of Elk Lake in Beaverhead County, Montana.

Wishful Thinking

By |October 25th, 2013|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Davis County, Rough-legged Hawks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Two years ago I photographed this Rough-legged Hawk with a vole in its talons as it flew along the causeway to Antelope Island State Park with the Great Salt Lake in the background.

A dark juvenile Red-tailed Hawk

By |October 16th, 2013|Categories: Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Red-tailed Hawks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , |

Quite often I don't have much time at all to get ready to take images because you need to get close to the subject, find a good angle of light and make sure your camera settings will produce the best image for the conditions.

The Eagle Is Landing

By |October 8th, 2013|Categories: Bald Eagles, Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

It has been quite some time since I posted a Bald Eagle here so today I present this adult in a landing pose that I photographed in February of 2011 at Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area.

Red-tailed Hawk on the red rocks of the Centennial Valley – Finally!

By |September 13th, 2013|Categories: Beaverhead County, Birds, Centennial Valley, Montana, Red-tailed Hawks|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Since my first visit to the Centennial Valley of Montana on June 18, 2010 I have wanted to photograph a bird; preferably a raptor, on the reddish orange lichen covered rocks found throughout the valley. On this last trip that finally happened!

Red-shouldered Hawk from Sawgrass Lake Park, Florida

By |September 12th, 2013|Categories: Birds, Florida, Pinellas County, Red-shouldered Hawks, Sawgrass Lake Park|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

There are five recognized subspecies of Red-shouldered Hawks with the Florida Red-shouldered Hawks having the palest heads and plumage. I believe this Red-shouldered Hawk adult is from the Florida race, Buteo lineatus extimus.

The Summer of Swainson’s is nearing an end

By |August 28th, 2013|Categories: Beaverhead County, Birds, Box Elder County, Centennial Valley, Davis County, Fremont County, Idaho, Montana, Swainson's Hawks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

It won't be long before Swainson's Hawks start to migrate to South America and some may already have started their journey south.

Frustrations in Bird Photography – Dark Morph Ferruginous Hawk

By |August 23rd, 2013|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, Ferruginous Hawks, Frustrations in bird photography, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

The dark morph Ferruginous Hawk above had just lifted off from a power pole when I photographed it with a partly cloudy sky in the background.

Young Red-tailed Hawk

By |August 22nd, 2013|Categories: Beaverhead County, Birds, Centennial Valley, Montana, Red-tailed Hawks|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Last month while up in Montana I saw this young Red-tailed Hawk just standing in the road looking around and not acting the least bit concerned about the pickup or the two large lens that were pointed at it.

On the Wing Photography has landed in its new home!

By |August 21st, 2013|Categories: Beaverhead County, Birds, Centennial Valley, Ferruginous Hawks, Montana|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Like this handsome Ferruginous Hawk that I photographed in the centennial Valley of Montana... On The Wing Photography has landed!

What is the last thing a Jackrabbit might see – A Ferruginous Hawk

By |August 6th, 2013|Categories: Beaverhead County, Birds, Ferruginous Hawks, Montana|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Ferruginous Hawks west of the Continental Divide prefer rabbits as prey so what you see here might be the last thing a Cottontail or Jackrabbit might see.

Two different Swainson’s Hawks

By |August 1st, 2013|Categories: Beaverhead County, Birds, Montana, Swainson's Hawks|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Red-tailed Hawks have the most variable plumages of North American hawks but Swainson's Hawks are also pretty variable, there are light morphs, intermediate morphs and dark morphs.

Simple Red-tailed Hawk photo from Montana

By |July 30th, 2013|Categories: Beaverhead County, Birds, Montana, Red-tailed Hawks|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

This adult Red-tailed flew by at close range which gave me a very nice view of the underside of its wing that shows it was also molting though it didn't look as raggedy as some of the other adult Red-tailed Hawks looked.

Swainson’s Hawk in flight over Beaverhead County, Montana

By |July 27th, 2013|Categories: Beaverhead County, Birds, Montana, Swainson's Hawks|Tags: , , , , , , , , , |

I photographed the adult Swainson's Hawk above after it had lifted off from a power pole in Beaverhead County and loved that I had thin clouds in the background which is far more pleasing to my eye than plain blue sky.

If Only I Could Fly Like This Red-tailed Hawk!

By |July 21st, 2013|Categories: Beaverhead County, Birds, Centennial Valley, Montana, Red-tailed Hawks|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I readily admit that sometimes I daydream about being able to fly like a bird and quite often the bird I wish I were is a Red-tailed Hawk.

Adult Red-tailed Hawk in a Montana Sky

By |June 17th, 2013|Categories: Beaverhead County, Birds, Montana, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Red-tailed Hawks|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

There are issues with this image which I will cover shortly but I really liked the pose of this Red-tailed Hawk, the spread of the wings, the flared tail and the great eye contact I was able to capture as the Red-tail looked down towards me as it flew in a bright blue Montana sky.

Red-tailed Hawks In Montana Soaking Up The Morning Light

By |June 10th, 2013|Categories: Beaverhead County, Birds, Centennial Valley, Montana, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Red-tailed Hawks|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I photographed this mated pair of Red-tailed Hawks last week in western Montana as they soaked up the warming rays of the morning sun.

Juvenile Red-tailed Hawk In Really Bad Light

By |May 21st, 2013|Categories: Birds, Daggett County, Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area, Red-tailed Hawks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Sometimes I take the shot despite knowing that I am not shooting in optimal conditions, most of the time the results are awful but once in awhile I actually enjoy the final image.

Swainson’s Hawk in the Centennial Valley

By |May 15th, 2013|Categories: Beaverhead County, Birds, Centennial Valley, Montana, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Swainson's Hawks|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Swainson's Hawks are one of the three Buteos that I see with regularity on my visits to the Centennial Valley of Montana, Red-tailed and Ferruginous Hawks are the other two.

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