![\"\"](\"https:\/\/featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/red-tailed-hawk-0828-ron-dudley.jpg\" "\\"red-tailed-hawk-0828-ron-dudley\\"")
<\/a><\/p>\n1\/2500, f\/6.3, ISO 500, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f\/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in<\/em><\/p>\n Just over a month ago I spent some time with this mated pair of Red-tailed Hawks in northern Utah as they were completing construction of their nest. The male especially made repeated trips to the nest site carrying sticks and twigs. Here he’s leaving the nest in search of more building material as the female watches his exit.<\/p>\n I’ve posted this image previously but the following three photos are new to my blog. They’re presented in sequence without any skips in the burst.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n 1\/2500, f\/6.3, ISO 500, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f\/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in<\/em><\/p>\n I was surprised to get four images that included both birds as the male lifted off. I suspect that was due to updrafts from the cliff face that slowed him down and allowed him to…<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n 1\/1600, f\/6.3, ISO 500, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f\/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in<\/em><\/p>\n become buoyant in the air with very little wing-flapping or air speed. A single half-hearted\u00a0wing stroke\u00a0allowed him to\u00a0almost float off the cliff.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n 1\/2500, f\/6.3, ISO 500, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f\/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in<\/em><\/p>\n His leg posture suggests a strong push-off but after that it was a relatively effortless launch.<\/p>\n I’ll admit to having some mixed feelings about these cliffs as a backdrop. I love their ruggedness that includes completely vertical rock faces, the sagebrush clinging to existence with a precarious hold on the rocks and even the patch of blue sky to provide depth, color and perspective. But the colors of the hawks and the cliffs are so similar that the birds don’t stand out particularly well.<\/p>\n Oh well, those cliffs obviously serve the purposes of the hawks extremely well so who am I to complain…<\/p>\n Ron<\/p>\n Note: I was extremely careful to avoid disturbing these hawks at the nest. See this previous post<\/a>\u00a0for details.<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" I think these rugged cliffs are an ideal setting for nesting Red-tailed Hawks.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n