In my experience there’s a huge range in the approachability of juvenile raptors, even among siblings. And overall, Swainson’s Hawks seem to be the most approachable of all. This variability was demonstrated during our trip to Montana’s Centennial Valley last week and once again it made me nervous for the safety of the bird.
On our recent Montana trip I spent two morning sessions with a cooperative Merlin at Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge in the Centennial Valley.
Great birds, good company, wonderful scenery, 11 degree temps and frozen pipes in the camping trailer – having a blast. Home today. Ron
Rough-legged Hawks are one of the salves that help me get through our cold, dreary winters. When they show up…
When you’re shooting in aperture priority, birds flitting into and out of shade can present an exposure problem.
One of the advantages of a telephoto lens is its ability to concentrate on a pleasing feature and leave out or blur less attractive elements into the bokeh.
Early this past spring I had some wonderful opportunities with Sandhill Cranes near Capitol Reef National Park.
This past spring I spent some wonderful time with a pair of Western Kingbirds as they constructed their nest. Well, truth be told the female actually did all of the heavy work but the male did his part by watching her closely and making sure she did everything just right…
Ferruginous Hawks are noted for their long, tapered and pointed wings and I thought this image demonstrated that field mark well.
Who among us has not been at least a little bit curious about precisely what birds are eating?
I spent yesterday morning cruising the back roads of Utah’s west desert with the primary goal of finding and photographing raptors.
Injured birds are always heart-wrenching and I like to help when I can but sometimes attempting to do so isn’t practical or even wise.
The Williamson’s Sapsuckers I photographed earlier this summer had a routine while they were feeding their chicks and I presume it went on all day long. And often a feisty pair of wrens made that routine more complicated.
For some, raptors and flowers may seem like an incongruous combination but I like the contradiction.
During the painful process of culling I’ve learned to look carefully at each image before pulling the plug on the shot because you never know what might be lurking somewhere in those pixels.
