Swainson’s Hawks are awash in northern Utah right now. Yesterday morning I saw more than I could count and some were extremely approachable.
1/4000, f/6.3, ISO 800, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
I encountered this light morph Swainson’s on a fencepost next to the road very shortly after dawn. I spent a few minutes photographing it but it was cold (33° F.) and the hawk was warming in the early morning sun so it barely moved a feather while I was there.
Once I had a few shots (yes I had more shutter speed than I needed) I decided to move on down the road but that meant I’d have to pass very close to the bird. I don’t like to flush birds but in this situation I had no practical choice so I proceeded very slowly, fully expecting it to take off.
1/2000, f/6.3, ISO 500, Canon 7D, Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM @ 360mm, not baited, set up or called in
But even when I was closest to the post the hawk didn’t fly so when it turned slightly on its perch and gave me more of a side view I grabbed my “baby lens” and fired off a few shots. I like the ambience of this image with the layered colors of the background, the extremely warm side light and the old weathered post. The bit of blood on one of the toes is an appropriate touch for this predatory bird.
I suspect many of these hawks are still migrating – there’s just too many for all of them to be nesting in the same general vicinity. But there seems to be plenty of available food (voles mostly) in the region so it’s an attractive staging area for them and other birds. Even Great Blue Herons in good numbers are hunting voles in the fields and pastures.
It should be a good year for raptors in northern Utah – at least in part because vole populations seem to be on the upswing.
Ron
Ron, very cool and unusual shots of the young Eagles playing “king of the Pole”. I have been monitoring and photographing 2 adult Eagles and a few young Eagles near a nest by my house for the New York State DEC and I have yet to see two eagles perched that close to each other either near the nest or on the various High Wire poles near them. (I do see the two adults together in the nest at times.) My local Red Tail family also regularly use the High Wire Towers for perches to scout for small game, but rarely close together on the same tower. It seems that you have all kinds of bird action very close to you. What is a typical driving distance from your home for bird shots? I live north of New York City about 20 miles and very close to the Hudson River and a number of reservoirs which provides me with many opportunities for raptor images.
I am new to your blog but plan to visit regularly.
Thanks for sharing your photos and your camera settings.
Welcome to Feathered Photography, Reid.
Two of my regular birding locations are about a 30-40 minute drive from home but two others take me 60-80 minutes just to get there. And one of my very favorite locations is in sw Montana and that’s a 300+ mile drive for me. Needless to say I do a lot of driving…
He’s gorgeous! I especially like the background in the second shot. Lovely!!! 🙂
Sorry I’m so late to the party today — we did a mobile adoption all day with our spca and actually got a dog adopted! Woo Hoo! 🙂
Thanks, Marty. Congrats on your success with the adoption!
Thanks, Ron. It’s been a long time since we’ve had an adoption at the event, itself. Plus, we raised a bunch of money for the shelter. 🙂
Not being a vole it is lovely to hear of anywhere that is ‘awash’ with raptors…
And the images are incredible too.
Thanks, EC. And I like the way you worded your first sentence.
With an abundance of hawks in northern Utah, the birds that eat at our feeder and the Quail and Dove that eat the spillover from the feeder better be on the alert. We saw a hawk [don’t know what kind] swoop down on a young Dove in our back yard recently. The Dove did not have a chance!!! This is nature. Thanks for these wonderful photos!
Alice, my guess would be a Cooper’s Hawk (or possibly a Sharp-shinned). Accipiters love snagging birds at feeders.
Contented sigh…just spectacular shots! I’m delighted to hear you have an abundance of Swainson’s and that the abundance of voles are keeping them (and everybody else) fed. I’m always delighted to see fresh blood on the feet/beak/cere of raptors (assuming it’s PREY blood!). Oh my how a redtail hawk changed me at the core DNA level. Pre-falconry, I would have had a completely different comment. 🙂
I agree about the blood, Laura. Same thing regarding the poop on the pole – doesn’t bother me a bit.
Two wonderful shots! The first reminds me of an early morning skier, huddled into a puffy parka, feeling toasty warm in spite of the cold…enjoying the building warmth of the sun…Been there, done that. Always like to see weathered wood, especially trees and old posts(without wire!)…,
Thank you, Patty. No wire this time!
I do love the play of light on this bird’s “coat of many colors” — it is just beautiful. The second image, I think, is a perfect combination of hawk, perch and background.
I lean toward that second image too, Chris. Thanks.
The Swainsons’ coming back to northern Utah are like the Swallows coming back to Capistrano. A sign that there’s still some hope for the Earth. John
I like your analogy, John. Although someone said recently that the swallows no longer return to Capistrano. I saw them there once when I was a little kid.
I didn’t know the swallows no longer returned!!! That was so wonderful…-another sad step toward what???
http://www.scpr.org/news/2015/02/23/50003/san-juan-capistrano-looks-for-new-ways-lure-back-s/
Thanks for this informative link on the subject. I stopped in one weekend when I lived in Van Nuys CA, with my future 2nd wife. A beautiful place to see. Sorry to hear the swallows no longer return to Capistrano. We still have them at the Bear River wildlife refuge. Last year we were gone for a long weekend and found a swallow building a mud nest on our front porch. I felt bad hoseing it off but it was making a such a mess! BTW, love these posted images Ron.
I didn’t know that either. I’ll have to find out if the buzzards (vultures) still return to Hinckley (sp), OH. When are WE (or more precisely, the elected officials in our government from local to national) going to care enough to make the necessary changes? And once again I ask, what’s wrong with us (humans) that we don’t?
Beautiful colors. Last year I believe we were in the same area in July. There were so many Swainson’s we lost track of the numbers after 24. Every fence post, telephone pole and irrigation device had a bird on it. Sometimes a whole family adults and juveniles sitting together. I hope they are as successful this year.
By the way the no-see-ums are out in force already. I am still itching from Friday’s adventure. I hate those insects!
We have a strong dislike for them too, April. They’re hideous!
Ron,
Great shots as usual. I love the second shot for all the reasons you point out. Also the fact that it is a little more “ready for action” as I would expect for a hawk on the hunt. The pastures and mountains in the background make the shot… along with a beautiful capture of a magnificent bird.
Stephen
Thank you, Stephen,
Beautiful pictures!! So happy to see my pair in my back yard !!!!they arrived a week ago ..and aren’t shy at all!! Don’t seem in any hurry to build a nest though.. last years blew down ..
It would be a blast to have a pair in my yard, Marina. I’m jealous.
The background with layered colors of the 2nd image is what makes the difference between the two (I think). I’d really love to see you capture/post a photo of the Great Blue Heron catching voles, cause all i’ve seen/known so far are fish all day long. Thanks for these great photos.
Elmer, I tried to do that with herons a few days ago but while I was there every time they struck at one they missed. Hopefully soon…
Beautiful! Whenever a bird is so plentiful around here SOME people call them trash birds regardless of species. Absolutely NO way would I call a plentiful supply of these birds that name! What a great day you must have had.
I can’t imagine referring to Swainson’s as trash birds, Dick. I soooo look forward to their return every spring.
Simply spectacular, Ron! Wonderful way to start my day!
Thanks very much, Diane.
Beautiful! Looks like a bit of blood on the right index(?)toe in the 2nd photo – hopefully an early breakfast and not an injury. Love the feather detail. 🙂
Yes, that blood caught my attention too, Judy (I mentioned it in my text). I suspect it was from breakfast though it’s possible a vole bit the toe before it was subdued. Thanks.
How exciting to have so many! Great shots Ron!
charlotte
Yes, it certainly was, Charlotte. Thanks.