Unlike some humans who have used that phrase this very young hawk actually got the job done.
This is one of the two recently fledged Red-tailed Hawks from ‘nest B‘ I’ve been following this spring and summer. Five days ago I found ‘him’ practicing many of the life skills he’ll need in order to improve his chances of surviving that very difficult first year after fledging.
Here he was practicing short jumps and landings, using his wings primarily for balance rather than for lift. His apparent goal was to reach the top of a small rocky hill out of frame to the right.
He jumped,…
flew through the air…
and landed in the grass short of his ultimate goal as he…
continued to use his wings for balance.
But he was less than half way to his goal, the rocky point I’ve marked with a brown arrow near the top of the rocky hill. Here he has his eye on it, apparently gauging its distance and deciding on a strategy for reaching it.
He needed one more giant leap, with assistance from his wings.
He took a step forward and then jumped once again and…
sailed through the air in a determined and reaching pose that I adore.
He nailed the landing,…
folded his wings and…
appeared to celebrate his success with a defiant fist-pump.
I took many photos of him atop his rocky perch but it was his journey there that appealed to me most.
Ron
Note to photographers: The first and last photos in this series were taken with my Canon 7D Mark II and Canon 100-400 lens @ 400mm. All of the rest of the photos, the action shots, were taken with the same gear with the lens @ 271mm, 1/2500, f/7.1, ISO 800.
There is a time delay for your post to reach my mailbox but I’ll keep on viewing your posting and making comments. Your narrative and photos are so right on target. I enjoy the persistence of this beauty. Thank you for the photos. Just know that I am out here enjoying your posts…..every day.
sweetness! I just love your photos so so much, Ron!
and your little commentary with this one was funny 😉
I so adore Red-Tails!
Good to know. Thanks very much, Karen.
Beautiful shots 😁 Prayers this one survives s(he’s) first year ❤️
Diana, the odds are against him but he has a fighting chance. And I think he has what it takes.
A wonderful series – well done.
Best wishes from Down Under.
Thank you, Gary.
I think Chick Hearn might be a better color-commentary comparison than Vin Scully — we are talking about birds after all. 😉
Love this series! A well-earned fist pump! It’s so much fun to watch young animals figure things out. That’s one of the reasons I love fostering kittens and puppies so much. It’s also one of the reasons I loved teaching — seeing the kids’ faces light up when things clicked.
Marty, that teaching comparison is probably why I enjoy watching young hawks learn. The difference is with them I’m only a bystander rather than a participant in the process.
Hi Ron. I’ve been following your blog for quite a few months now and reading it has become my favorite “start the day” activity. We have a lot of red-tailed hawks here where I live outside of Tonasket (north central Washington State about 20 miles south of the Canadian border). You’re always teaching me something new about these magnificent birds. Thanks so much!
Karen, I grew up about the same distance from the Canadian border but it was east of you in western MT. Thanks for the kind words.
After replying to Laura’s comment I had to scroll to the top and back down again. Several times.
What an amazing series. And what an achievement. I do envy you being there to see it.
I won’t soon forget the experience, EC. It’s a long drive to get there and at least as often as not I get skunked but mornings like that make it all worth it.
Such a fun capture, I love the long stretch to reach the intended perch. Nice to know there is hope for me with what you call the “baby lens”
April, that 100-400 is actually a pretty darn good little lens. If I didn’t have it in some situations I’d be up that proverbial creek without a paddle. This series is a perfect example.
A well-deserved 👊-pump … for both of you! What a wonderful series, Ron, so glad you’re able to find these beautiful young hawks and record their progress.
Thanks, Chris. Me too.
Fantastic bit of joy to view this morning! 😍Thank you for that. He is doing everything he can to get ready for that big flight out into the world on his own. If determination counts I think this fella will be a winner. At least he has confidence and can celebrate it ala ‘Tiger Woods’ style fist pump’. Non-birders just don’t know what they are missing!
“Non-birders just don’t know what they are missing!”
So very true, Kathy. Thank you.
The crowd senses the determination and confidence in his eye.
The anticipation is palpable.
Into the fray he goes…but comes up short. The crowd is crestfallen.
But wait, our hero is not done. He contemplates all the hours of training and sacrifice and steels his determination and muscles.
He jumps. It appears he may not make it.
With one last superhu, uh, superhawk effort he conquers the lichen-covered rock.
The crowd cheers (well, maybe just Ron at the time).
Pretty good Lyle, but Vince Scully you’re not. 🙂
Oh I needed some baby redtail this morning! What a fun series!! You just gotta love baby redtails. They’re so damn cute as they study and hone their skills to be serial killers. LOL!
And what a BEAUTY! I love the last bit of down on her/his head. S/he’s not that far from fledging and learning how all those flight controls work. It’s also obvious that s/he’s contemplating how to achieve her/his goal proving problem solving abilities. Yes, redtails are far smarter than we humans are willing to admit. And yes, unlike some humans, s/he can claim Mission Accomplished!!
As for the s/he debate, I think we’ve got a tweener there! With the first and last images, I’d SWEAR that was a female, however, in the rest of the photos, I’d go with male. Good news is it really doesn’t matter. THEY know and either way, s/he’s a redtail and that’s good! LOL!
I’m babysitting my apprentice’s redtail who is now in her first molt where she discovers she’s an adult and she has super powers with humans. She doesn’t know that I’ve dealt with the hormonal teenager with the car keys and a bottle of tequila phase before. No, I’m not going to allow her to fly at me with talons down, ready for draw blood or to sink her talons in my back, just for fun. Nope, that ain’t gonna happen–not gonna turn my back on her and she’s pretty bummed about that. Sadly, since I can’t move fast now, I’m also keeping my distance. She’s flown into the properly-timed mews door three or four times instead of grabbing me! Life is just full of little disappointments, isn’t it? She finally figured out that she’s not dealing with one of those dumb humans 😉
Oh and yes they DO show facial expressions, despite that they can’t do that. Trust me 😉
I am relieved to hear you say they show facial expressions. The more I watch birds closely, studying their body postures and faces, the more I am convinced that their thoughts and feelings do show.
This line made me smile “They’re so damn cute as they study and hone their skills to be serial killers.”
I do trust you on that. But hope that your confidence in dealing with the hormonal and tequila fueled is not misplaced. And of course they show expression. Anyone thinking that they don’t belongs in the same category as those that deny birds/animals have emotions.
I heartily agree that critters are capable of so much more than that for which we humans give them credit.
Have fun babysitting — and outsmarting — the “almost adult!”
Laura, that’s why I usually fudge on sexing red-tails, youngsters in particular. I don’t like to be called on getting it wrong and I don’t like the generic “it” so I straddle the line.
Watch your back! And everything else…
Oh I ALWAYS watch my back AND I make my apprentice clean her bath pan–her bird, she needs to learn the stupid apprentice mistakes. That redtail girl doesn’t fool me! Mariah taught me well! 😉
👍🤟❤️
Thanks, Patty.
VBG and a giggle watching the hawk “figure it out”. Always a treat to watch and listen to the narration of the action. 🙂 The expression of concentration/concern on it’s face is priceless…….
Judy, I swear, sometimes birds actually DO show facial expressions.
LOVE the fist pump! Thank you for sharing Ron!
Good. Thanks, Kathleen.
On the “It should have been the Olympic Summer Games of 2020” scale, I would give that big reaching jump a 10. (and your narration of that shot gets a gold as well). Thank you for sharing.
That reaching jump photo is my favorite of the series, Suzanne. And thanks for appreciating the narration.
Excellent series Ron. Through your photos and your explanations I think I can feel your excitement and enjoyment watching this young Red-tail work on all the skills he will soon need. Brings back memories of my kids and grand kids first learning to walk.
Thanks, Everett. Spending time with fledgling hawks is one of my very favorite things to do – photography related or not.
Yup, these are some great images!! I have to admit I chuckled a bit, both at the images and at wondering what we all would think if pictures of a young human were taken as he/she practices their life skills.
Very enjoyable shots.
Thanks for sharing, and stay safe!
Thanks very much, Dick.