{"id":48763,"date":"2017-06-04T05:37:08","date_gmt":"2017-06-04T11:37:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.featheredphotography.com\/blog\/?p=48763"},"modified":"2017-06-04T05:59:00","modified_gmt":"2017-06-04T11:59:00","slug":"swainsons-hawk-rock-earns-its-name-once-again","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/featheredphotography.com\/blog\/2017\/06\/04\/swainsons-hawk-rock-earns-its-name-once-again\/","title":{"rendered":"“Swainson’s Hawk Rock” Earns Its Name Once Again"},"content":{"rendered":"

Near a fairly remote road I travel regularly while looking for birds there’s a large rock outcropping near the top of a curve on a hill. Last year a pair of Swainson’ Hawks nested nearby and they both habitually perched on that rock so I got many nice photos of them there. For much of last summer I could almost count on at least one of the birds being there so I began to call the rock “Swainson’s Hawk Rock”.<\/p>\n

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1\/800, f\/11, ISO 400, 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

This is that rock (although only a small portion of the top of it can be seen in this photo). Occasionally both birds would be there and on this morning last May I was lucky enough to\u00a0photograph them mating on one of their favorite perches. Here the female is waiting submissively as the male swoops in to mate with her – he actually landed on her back.<\/p>\n

This summer there’s been another pair of Swainson’s (possible the same birds?) nesting in the area and using most of the same perches but I’ve never seen either one of them on Swainson’s Hawk Rock.<\/p>\n

Until yesterday.<\/p>\n

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1\/3200, f\/6.3, ISO 400, 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

As I crested the curve on the hill and the rock came into view this is the sight that greeted me and I was delighted to see it. If it’s the same pair this would be the male. “He” watched me for a few moments and then decided to put on a show for me as he took off at a perfect angle for flight shots.<\/p>\n

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1\/2500, f\/7.1, ISO 400, 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 love the underwing plumage patterns of the adult\u00a0light morph Swainson’s and this posture showed them off\u00a0nicely.<\/p>\n

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1\/2500, f\/7.1, ISO 400, 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

The background provided some pleasing (to me) pastel colors as he launched.<\/p>\n

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1\/2000, f\/7.1, ISO 400, 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

Here I like the wings wrapping around the body with his face highlighted against the darks of the left wing.<\/p>\n

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1\/2500, f\/7.1, ISO 400, 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

As he gained height and airspeed…<\/p>\n

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1\/2500, f\/7.1, ISO 400, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f\/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, canvas added for composition, not baited, set up or called in<\/em><\/p>\n

he\u00a0began to make\u00a0a slow, gentle turn…<\/p>\n

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1\/2500, f\/7.1, ISO 400, 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

toward me that kept good light on his face so I always had a catch light in his eye. In the photos after this one I either cut off body parts or lost focus (or both)\u00a0on the bird but I was happy to get as many sharp shots as I did.<\/p>\n

Dang it was fun to find a bird on this rock again and I hope that trend continues.<\/p>\n

Swainson’s Hawk Rock rocks! (say that fast three times – I dare you…).<\/p>\n

Ron<\/p>\n

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Dang it was fun to find a bird on this rock again and I hope that trend continues.<\/p>\n

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