And this time she did it so well she eventually quit walking and simply flew the last leg of it. I guess she just figured she didn’t need any more practice.
1/2000, f/6.3, ISO 400, Canon 7D, Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM @ 278mm, not baited, set up or called in
Just over a year ago I spent part of a fascinating morning photographing a recently fledged Red-tailed Hawk ‘walking the pipe’, apparently just to practice its coordination skills. The bird was still very young and uncoordinated so it needed all the practice it could get. The pipe was part of an enclosure surrounding a spring to protect it from cattle damage and none of it was level or square which will be evident in my photos (another hobby of mine is carpentry and furniture making so ‘out of square’ drives me nuts).
I’m referring to this bird as a female for the sake of convenience. She walked the pipe at least three times and I’ve documented two of them previously. Here she has returned to one end of the enclosure and is contemplating her next move.
1/2000, f/6.3, ISO 400, Canon 7D, Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM @ 278mm, not baited, set up or called in
The rusty old pipe enclosure was almost 50′ long and it wasn’t easy staying atop its narrow, curved surface for its entire length so she always placed her feet very deliberately. But she still had to…
1/2500, f/6.3, ISO 400, Canon 7D, Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM @ 278mm, not baited, set up or called in
use her wings for assistance at times. Here her right foot has begun to slide off the far side of the pipe
1/2500, f/6.3, ISO 400, Canon 7D, Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM @ 278mm, not baited, set up or called in
But during this attempt she always recovered nicely. Several times on her previous attempts to walk it she very nearly fell off.
In fact, she was apparently so proficient at it by now that she…
1/3200, f/6.3, ISO 400, Canon 7D, Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM @ 321mm, not baited, set up or called in
figured that this pipe-walking thing was becoming old hat so she simply lifted off and flew to the other end of the enclosure.
This pipe journey wasn’t quite so dramatic or as much fun to watch as some of her previous attempts because her developing skills led to fewer near-catastrophes (almost falling off) but I thought this one was worth seeing as evidence of how quickly she learned.
If you’ve never seen her previous attempts they can be seen here and here.
Ron
She’s beautiful.
Yup.
Huge smiles.
On so many levels.
And yes, I too thought ‘By George, she’s got it’.
And would love her flying skills AND her learning skills. This member of the superior species would do a face plant if I tried that walk.
She learned faster than some humans I encounter, EC.
Love that second photo. Showing off by high-stepping it. Here in Western Washington we are inundated with smoke from B.C. fires. After hiking in the North Cascades yesterday I came back with my clothes smelling like I had been sitting in front of a campfire.
Thanks, Lyle. Yes, I heard the smoke is bad up there. Our smoke isn’t bad at the moment.
For some reason this makes me very happy. Probably because of the contrast between her success and the failures of humans. . .
Yup, it’s always nice to see honest effort rewarded.
I could watch her all day! Thanks for the reminder about perseverance today, Ron. Just found out I’ll have 7th science in addition to my 8th, so two brand new preps — argh! Still not sure which boxes have everything. Breathe, Marty, breathe. 😁
Last minute extra preps are a big deal, Marty. Huge, actually. You seem to be taking it better than I would…
It’s all a lie — I’m a wreck! 😉
How delightful to see this bird again. Sunday morning when we were waiting for our first group to show up at our location in the park (so we could tell them the story that goes with the pictograph panel where we were) we had the pleasure of watching a pair of Red Tails circling high above and calling to each other. Even though they are “common”, I always enjoy seeing them, either here on your blog, or out in nature.
We’re very lucky they’re as “common” as they are, Susan. Thanks.
Showing my age here Ron, but Professor Henry Higgins in My Fair Lady would have exclaimed, “By George, I think she’s got it.” Beautiful photos as always. That last spread wings flying photo would be a beautiful stand alone picture with the pipe cropped out. Love photos of raptors with the wings spread out like that.
Everett Sanborn, Prescott AZ
Nothing wrong with showing our age, Everett. I do it constantly, and in a variety of ways.
Everett, MFL is still making the high school musical circuit. We last did it about 8 or 10 years ago, which still leaves you under 30. 😉 That’ll be the one thing I’ll really miss in going from high school back to middle school.
SO fun to watch the young of anything figure it all out…:) Beautiful bird and you captured the action well. 🙂 Her colors so blend with the old pipe. “Labor Day” weather yesterday – 53 for high, drizzle, and cold wind – birds knew what they were doing when they were mostly gone a couple of week ago! Fog this morning – unusual for us and, if old timers are correct, in 90 days we’ll have a big storm.;)
Thanks, Judy. I heard about that front coming in up there from folks who hoped it might have an effect on the fires in Glacier NP and elsewhere. Do you know, was there any fire relief from the weather?
Haven’t heard today – only about .1″ rain here and seemed most was further S tho cooling/humidity has to help – winds were supposed to be erratic.
Ok, thanks.
Latest is “holding steady” As usual, Mother Nature is going to have to finish the job…;)
Try, try, and try again! Just reminds you of a young child mastering a new skill. I like the intensity in the eyes…’I’m done with this thing today’! Off to conquer new skills. I’ve been seeing more ‘Red-Tails’ coming back the past week; yesterday I watched five Northern Harriers circling and flying over two tractors and balers in the marsh as they were baling the cut grasses of last week. (Of course there were a dozen or so seagulls with them.) It was a good day…two Osprey were gliding over a small river that borders it…BUT no ‘ShortEars’ yet.
Yup, I think that bird had just had enough, Katny.
Our Short-eared Owls hung around longer than usual this year after the nesting season.