![\"northern](\"https:\/\/featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/11\/northern-harrier-1808-ron-dudley.jpg\")
<\/p>\nI’m a big history buff, especially of English, Utah and family history. And I include the history of my own bird photography in that list for very good reason. Knowing where and when I’ve photographed birds in the past can be a good predictor of success (or failure)\u00a0in the\u00a0present and future\u00a0so I often review older images to see what birds I photographed, and where I\u00a0encountered them,\u00a0on the same date in previous years. The practice isn’t infallible but it’s accurate enough that I use it\u00a0regularly.<\/p>\n
I had such a review session last night and decided to post two\u00a0raptor images taken on today’s date in previous years.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
1\/1600, f\/5.6, ISO 800, Canon 7D, Canon EF 500mm f\/4L IS USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n I photographed this male Northern Harrier five years ago today at Farmington WMA. Though at first glance (because of the hanging legs) the bird may appear to have just taken off, it hadn’t. It was hunting low and slow and when they do that they often hang their legs down like this. He just happened to give me a glance with those lemon-yellow eyes when I pushed the shutter. I’ve posted other images of this bird previously.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n 1\/4000, f\/6.3, ISO 500, Canon 7D, Canon EF 500mm f\/4L IS USM, not baited, set up or called in<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n This image of a Rough-legged Hawk, taken four years ago today, was also\u00a0photographed at Farmington. This bird had just taken off after eating a vole on the ground. The head is turned slightly away from me but because of the positions of the pupil and catch light it gives the appearance that the hawk is giving me a furtive and wary\u00a0sideways look out of the corner of its eye.<\/p>\n When these birds are on their northern breeding grounds they’re quite vocal but after\u00a0migrating south wintering birds are silent. I’ve never heard a Rough-legged\u00a0Hawk make a sound\u00a0so I’m curious to know if any of my\u00a0readers have heard their voice while the birds were wintering “down south”. Any feedback on that?<\/p>\n Ok, back to my bird photography history. Partly based on my research last night (and these two images), if the\u00a0incoming clouds hold off long enough\u00a0I’ll likely be heading to\u00a0Farmington this morning. Maybe I’ll get lucky with a Gray Ghost (male Northern Harrier) or a Rough-legged Hawk…<\/p>\n Ron<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" I’m a big history buff, especially of English, Utah and family history. And I include the history of my own bird photography in that list for very good reason.<\/p>\n![\"rough-legged](\"https:\/\/featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/11\/rough-legged-hawk-5536-ron-dudley.jpg\")
<\/p>\n