Unless it’s breeding season it’s unusual for me to photograph a bonded pair of adult Red-tailed Hawks hanging out together but yesterday morning I managed to do just that.
1/2000, f/7.1, ISO 640, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
We found them soon after dawn in a remote area of northern Utah. The larger female of the pair is on the right. That early in the morning the light was still very warm so everything but the sky background was lit with a pretty intense golden glow that may or may not appeal to viewers. But I like it.
About half an hour before these photos were taken my pickup thermometer registered 17° F so both birds spent much of their time fluffed up like this in order to conserve body heat.
Believe me, it was cold. Two days earlier I had my hair cut for the first time in far too many months so with my pickup windows down and the engine and heater off my nearly bald head felt like an ice cube.
1/2000, f/7.1, ISO 640, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
The female spent more time preening than her mate did but he watched her grooming with great interest as if he was trying to figure out how it’s done.
1/2000, f/7.1, ISO 640, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
He kept his eyes glued on her as she scratched her head with those needle sharp talons. When she tucked them away in her belly feathers again…
1/2000, f/7.1, ISO 640, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
he seemed intensely curious about where she put them, as if she’d made them disappear by magic. He held this inquiring pose long enough for me to get multiple photos of it.
Red-tailed Hawks are monogamous and usually maintain pair bonds until death of a partner, at least in non-migratory (resident) populations, so I have to wonder how many years these love birds have been together. There are several red-tail nests in this general area so it’s very possible that I’ve photographed these hawks at their nest with chicks in the past.
This twice divorced bird photographer admires their apparent stable relationship and their obvious devotion to each other.
Ron
Ron, what a wonderful series of photos. The expression on the Male’s “face” along with the curious body movements are delightful. It makes me warm to look at these two “love birds” in the sun.
Thank you for the photos and your very entertaining commentary.
I’m delighted to know you enjoyed the commentary, Alice. Sometimes I don’t know how far to go with that ‘entertaining’ part… 🙂
Red-Tail Romance — better than any Hallmark Channel movie! ❤️❤️
The male is cracking me up! He seems so perplexed by everything his mate is doing. Ah, Mystery; thy name is Woman. 😂
Perfect partial quote, Marty. For this male red-tail anyway.
I had no idea RTH’s hung out together outside of mating season. You really got some enchanting photos of them.
Our Bald Eagle pair just showed up at their nest. Love is in the air, here and there.
Thanks, Lyle. Enjoy your eagles!
Yay! So exciting about your Bald Eagle pair! The breeding pair in our local mountains arrived last month and are busy making nestorations and playing kissy-beak.
Love your shots Ron. Look forward to your posts daily. Mostly all the men with thinning hair up here shave it all off, do they not do that there? My sister is knitting hats so maybe she needs to make one for you! Glad you still have your sense of humour and take care!
“do they not do that there?”
Shirley, some do and some don’t. For some reason shaving off what I have left just doesn’t float my boat..
Love, Love, LOVE these images (there’s a shock, huh? LOL!)! The interaction between this pair is just priceless! And lichen, too!
When I saw the first shot of the male watching the female’s talons, my thought was he was just making sure she was still preening–you never know when she’s gonna get cranky and grumpy after all! But then, like you said, “endearing” happened!
I remain gobsmacked at how they can scratch their heads with those sharp talons without opening up several bleeding spots, but they manage it!
Way back in the Dark Ages when I was first learning about raptors, the prevailing wisdom (for lack of a better term) was that once the kiddos fledged, the parents ran them out of the territory and then spent their time alone, being solitary hunters and all. While that’s at least partially true about those pairs that migrate, it’s NOT at all true about year round resident pairs. We’ve got several photographers who follow Big Red and Arthur on the Cornell University campus and it’s not at all unusual to find them perched together, just spending quality time together. They’re also regularly found actively teaching their offspring (generally by example) and providing food backup when necessary. Granted by this time of year, the latter activities aren’t as necessary as they were earlier in the year, but they do. I LOVE that about redtails and raptors overall!
Oh and yesterday’s Kestrel was another treat! You just rock!
Laura, I’ve heard a lot about Cornell’s red-tails over the years. They must be wonderful avian ambassadors.
They truly are Ron. I ADORE those birds, just shy of how much I ADORE Ms. Mariah!
Red-tails in love, Utah-style! ❤️ (I know it’s a well-loved book about a well-loved pair—or pairs, actually—but it suits this pair, too.) What totally delightful photos, Ron, and we’re grateful that you braved the cold to capture them. His interest in her disappearing talons is a hoot, but that first one is just plain beautiful.
Aesthetically that first one is my favorite too, Chris. Thanks.
As is often the case, a total pleasure to start my day with this, both images and ramblings.
Thank you.
I’m glad you enjoyed it, Kelly. Thanks.
These are adorable! The photos gave me a warm smile for the morning.
Good! You deserve it, April.
Totally endearing. And delightful.
Definitely heart warming (but not head warming).
It is not yet 4am here and already our temperatures are considerably over yours (which I would prefer).
Thank you, EC.
I so appreciate your fabulous photo posts Ron, and greatly enjoy your commentary as well. A real gift you offer to your followers 👍😍
You are an intrepid birder for sure…warm, cozy thoughts to you dear Ron ❣️
What a nice comment, Carolyn. Thank you.
LOVE LOVE LOVE! Did not know red-tails are monogamous, great trait in nature. Ron – maybe buy a knit cap? 🙂
Kathleen, I have one but I don’t like it. A friend has already put me on the track of a much better one for cold.
https://www.mountainhardwear.com/p/dome-perignon-beanie-1899161.html?dwvar_1899161_color=233&pos=0&fbclid=IwAR3sHqNrOw5ijmHrkAl_92v-E0Z55yT_BdNkJdPUXIoujFFNH-QeyCckFtw
A picture of one is good but a picture of two together is fantastic ❗️My favorite part is his expressions watching her.
Hope you’re having as much luck today as you did yesterday 😁
Nope, no bird photography for me this morning, Diana. Clouds and no light to speak of.
I really liked photo #1—–gold and sky blue and a strong diagonal–the only
thing more one could wish for is TRUE LOVE– also obviously there, as well.
I do think that the key to the last does lie in total fascination by every aspect of the
beloved, which is clearly there, too ! Lovely pictures, and a nice feeling with which
to begin the day– thanks.
Thanks very much, Kris.
Nice! Beautiful capture of the pair. 😀 The male’s interest in her grooming is fun. “Supervising” perhaps? 😄 17 IS “chilly” and any breeze on bare skin will get one scurrying for cover/warmer clothes. Amazing what even a bit of hair will do to keep a chill out!
Judy, I didn’t have much hair on my mostly chrome dome in the first place but in that cold I sure as hell missed what was taken off.
Looks like they have picked a good spot where eventually the sun will warm them a little, but at 17 degrees it takes a while. Always enjoy watching the eagle and hawk pairs get together as mating season gets closer. I have been out on foot quite a few times here at temperatures in that range and it sometimes drives me back to the car. Often it all depends on the wind. Nice post Ron. I like the golden glow with the bright blue sky.
“Often it all depends on the wind”
Boy, isn’t that the truth! At those temps even a slight breeze can go right through to your bones. Thanks, Everett.
I think we all love bonded pairs like this one, and that expression as he searches for her missing talons is too funny. 🙂
Cathy, I was giggling to myself as I watched his intensely curious expression through my lens. The word ‘endearing’ came to mind.
Excellent photos of this fascinating bonded pair behavior. I’m a long-time follower of Cornell Lab of Ornithology (Ithaca, NY) female RTH, named Big Red. She and her mate seem to enjoy hanging out together in various spots in their territory in what seems to be devoted companionship. It’s lovely to see this behavior in another pair in a quite different environment. It’s a joy to follow your posts, thank you.
Donna, it kind of gave me the warm fuzzies to see them together this time of year. And it was cold enough to make me appreciate anything ‘warm’… 🙂