Rough-legged Hawk Hunting Voles

Out of pure habit I still look for Rough-legged Hawks whenever I pass one of their favorite perches, despite the fact that they’re now on their arctic and subarctic breeding grounds in northern Alaska and Canada.  Last winter it seemed that these hawks were everywhere in northern Utah and it wasn’t unusual for me to see a dozen or more different birds in a morning of shooting.  They’re a particularly handsome raptor and I love photographing them.

 

rough legged hawk 2025 ron dudley

 1/3200, f/6.3, ISO 500, 500 f/4, 1.4 tc

 I found this one hunting voles along the Antelope Island causeway this past December.  A moderate headwind slowed the bird down and made getting flight shots a little easier.

 

 

rough legged hawk 2389 ron dudley

 1/2500, f/6.3, ISO 500, 500 f/4, 1.4 tc

When hunting they’re usually looking down which makes it difficult to get eye contact but occasionally you can catch them looking at you if you’re quick on the trigger.  Here the wings are mostly horizontal but for me the tilt of the tail helps to compensate for that.

 

 

rough legged hawk 2056 ron dudley

 1/1600, f/6.3, ISO 500, 500 f/4, 1.4 tc

This eye/head angle is more typical of a hunting bird.  The position of the left wing probably won’t appeal to many but there’s something about the curves of both wings that I liked.  The sky color may seem a little funky but that’s the color it really was so I didn’t play with it.

 

 

rough legged hawk 2193 ron dudley

 1/1600, f/6.3, ISO 500, 500 f/4, 1.4 tc

Here the hawk has captured a baby vole.  This surprised me a little because typically voles don’t breed during the coldest three months of winter but I did find sources that say they sometimes breed as late as December.  The hawk swallowed this tiny vole whole, in flight.

 

 

rough legged hawk 1950 ron dudley

 1/2000, f/6.3, ISO 500, 500 f/4, 1.4 tc

Of course most of the voles captured are adults, as is the case here.  This bird lifted off with the vole in its talons and then seemed to search for a more suitable place on the causeway to enjoy its meal.  This is the true angle of flight as I took the photo so I didn’t rotate to level the bird.

I always look forward to the return of Rough-legged Hawks in the fall.  Hopefully they’ve had a successful breeding season in the north country and we’ll have them in good numbers again this winter.

Ron

8 Comments

  1. Beautiful and informative. Thank you.

  2. Just amazing!! I love the curve of the wings; it really accentuates these animals’ grace and power. Truly beautiful shots.

  3. Way to cool, wonderful flight pictures of a beautiful hawk, well done Ron, a pleasure to view.

  4. I’m quite fond of rough-legged hawks, too. I can count dozens on a winter day in Montana’s Mission Valley, where they are especially common in winter. I have yet to achieve any photos with which I am pleased so I tip my hat to you on these beautiful flight photos.

    • Thank you Katie. I had no idea that roughies were so common in the Mission Valley but then it’s been decades since I’ve been there during winter.

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