There’s just something about direct eye contact from the largest and most powerful hawk in North America. Ferruginous Hawks are thought of as wannabe Golden Eagles for very good reason.
1/3200, 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 photographed this majestic Ferruginous Hawk almost exactly one year ago in Utah’s west desert. I rarely post photos of perched hawks looking directly at me because that pose doesn’t show the impressive hooked raptor beak to best advantage. But I also think direct double eye contact can be impressive, even intimidating, from such a magnificent bird of prey and you can’t have it both ways.
In this image I like the similar colors throughout and I think the weathered and shredding old post is pretty neat, at least for a fence post. The background is the Stansbury Mountains.
I’ve had Ferruginous Hawks on the brain for almost a week now, ever since I blew a wonderful opportunity with one in the same area near the Stansbury Mountains.
1/2000, 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 found this one six days ago within a very short distance from where the first photo above was taken but almost exactly one year later. I wasn’t very close to the hawk but I had beautiful warm morning light on the bird and it was facing my direction on the perch so I knew I had a reasonably good chance for very good flight shots if it took off. I’d even have a mountain background instead of blue sky so I waited and waited and waited some more for the bird to launch.
But a split second before it took off I glanced away from my viewfinder to check for approaching traffic on the dirt road behind me. I tried but couldn’t reacquire focus on the hawk in flight so all I could do was watch it with my naked eye and cuss a blue streak as it flew by very low and close to my pickup. I’d swear that bird snickered at me as it passed.
That’s bird photography for you.
Ron
Snickered at you and then flew off to gloat with its buddies at the pub. 😉
So glad you shared the first shot. That is some intense glare and there’s no way I’d want to be on the receiving end!
Probably. Dang bird.
Ron, you describe the psychology of the bird photographer to a T!
Ha, all of us have been there haven’t we Thomas! Many times.
You’re absolutely right! They wait for you to look away and THEN they fly! And yes, they snicker, too!! Happens to us falconers, too. They USE that superior eyesight. And yes, that’s stink eye in the first photo, and with their huge gape, they could swallow you quickly 😉
A friend/vet/falconer friend of min in Ogden, UT is flying a female Ferrug. He does photography, too AND makes calendars every year so I can enjoy his falconry with her and his two female HAHAs. I’d planned to take Jack on a road trip this fall to fly with his girls and watch that beautiful girl catch pheasants. THAT plan went awry! Grumble!! Guess what I’ll be doing next fall!
If you’re interested, I could put you two together.
Laura, if I remember correctly master falconer Mark Runnels from Oklahoma told me that not many falconers fly ferrugs. I think he told me why but I can’t remember. Am I remembering correctly, is it unusual?
Yes, it IS unusual to find them in falconry. Evidently they’re slow learners, way too slow for many falconers who want to move on to “real” birds (can you hear my sarcasm?)! In short, they need someone who’s patient, someone who won’t try to take them out of their natural habitat/quarry base and a falconer who’s cognitive of what THEY need instead of trying to force them into either a redtail or an eagle. There aren’t many of those around! Just sayin’!
THAT must be why I like ferrugs so much. They’re inflexible, just like me… 🙂
Yep, exactly! They’re really good at the prairie dog whack-a-mole game, too! Go figure 😉 But they’re just NOT redtails, nor are they eagles. As far as I can see, they’re good with that! LOL!
It kind of looks like it is giving you stink eye!
Ya think!
Of course it snickered at you. As they do. And metaphorically patted itself on the back because its reaction time is soooooo much better than yours. Which is better than mine by an equivalent margin.
Love that penetrating gaze.
EC, I’m convinced that, whether by design or by accident, birds tend to take off in that split second I’m not looking far more often than simple chance would dictate. It doesn’t seem logical and I’m a scientist both by by training and by nature but I still swear they do.
I am very sure that you are right. And that they are snickering.
That first ferrug is definite sizing you up for something … and #2 looks to be thinking how s/he can foil your photography dreams. Both are just gorgeous, and to be in their presence would be enough for me. But I’m with Lyle on armchair birding, glad you are here to capture them for our viewing pleasure.
It’s a good thing there are different birding styles isn’t it Chris.
Excellent stare-down…or should I say challenge to you. A very special bird…one we do not see here. Love the warmth of the second bird but I must say the slightly cool background colors of your first match the icy stare. 😍
Good point about the cool background. Thanks, Kathy.
Beautiful morning colors. So glad you’re such an early riser. Gives slackers like me an excuse to be armchair birders.
The first Hawk looks like he was sizing you up for a meal. Actually, so does the second one. Good thing you had your truck for cover.
Thanks, Lyle. I was very lucky to be a morning person when I took up bird photography.
Gorgeous, and wonderful photo. But this fella doesn’t wanna be anything except himself, and that, to the max, he will be till he drops. (Or she, of course!) Such is the beauty of the “lower” animals.
Thanks for an uplifting start to the day.
Thanks, Sallie. I said that figuratively of course.
Dang. That look. I think I saw it on a 5th grade math teacher when she caught me reading books in her class.
Arwen, I had that look down pat as a classroom teacher. I suspect Marty used it effectively too.
😄 That IS how it goes! Beautiful bird on the perfect perch to blend in to and the background cooperating also. 😀 The ARE large even if the photo’s don’t really show their size well.
Yes, they’re deceivingly large birds, Judy. I suspect you see more of them in your area than I do around here. Some of my best opportunities with them have been in western Montana.
He or she is magnificent. The colors are beautiful and the weathered post makes it extra special. Sorry about the fly off, but Murphy is often involved in those mishaps. And yes that hawk was snickering, but not as bad as when the Belted Kingfishers laugh out loud as they zoom off just as you are focusing. 🙂
You’re right, Everett. In some ways it hurts even more with those chattering, scolding kingfishers.