We had a “wind event” along parts of the Wasatch Front for several days this week. When meteorological conditions are just right (wrong?) incredible and sustained winds of 70 – 80 mph and more barrel down some of our canyons and often cause a lot of damage when they reach the populated valley floor. Those winds dissipate somewhat by the time they reach Antelope Island but even reduced winds make birds hunker down and very difficult to find and photograph. It often stays windy for several days.
Occasionally one can get lucky with raptors kiting in the wind once they’re reduced to reasonable speeds so yesterday morning I decided to head for the island and see what turned up. For a variety of reasons, including wind, the morning was largely a photo-failure for me, what I call a “skunked” morning.
1/3200, f/5.6, ISO 500, Canon 7D, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS USM +1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
But during the 7 mile drive along the causeway between the island and the mainland I thought of this bird. I took this photo of a Rough-legged Hawk along the causeway 13 months earlier and in the same conditions as yesterday – the tail end of another extreme wind event. This bird was kiting in the updrafts as those winds were forced upwards when they hit the elevated causeway. If you’re lucky enough to find kiting raptors they can be relatively easy to photograph because the wind slows down their speed significantly. This hawk had been “playing” in the wind with another bird, a dark morph. The dark morph was less cooperative but I got several shots I like of this light morph.
Birds are slow on the island right now and it can be tempting to just stay home or go somewhere else. But Antelope Island can be a magical place with unexpected delights even when things are slow. Just this week (as many regular readers are aware) I spent on hour or more photographing two (yes two !) Golden Eagles and also had a fascinating and extended session with coyotes and magpies scavenging a Mule Deer carcass. Both were unexpected and fascinating events.
As I often say to myself after one of these serendipitous occasions – “you never know unless you go”.
Ron
PS – Happy New Year everyone! If you had to endure them I hope you (and your dog) survived the neighborhood fireworks last night. I did but just barely…
Happy New Year – Hope you have a spectacular 2015!
Happy New Year. Happy photographic, bird-filled new year.
Thanks for the good wishes, EC!
Happy New Year!! Put the barn cats in the shed and kept the light on for the horses. THEY took care of each other – standing across the fence from one another. It was cold enough here that the fireworks didn’t last too long!!
Thanks for your daily eye candy!
It was cold here last night too, Karen (about 10 F) and thankfully that limited our fireworks but what we had were very loud and annoying.
I know that you will have happy new year because you will make it so , with your drive for discovery and delight with the results ! AND, by your work , you’ll bring pleasure in the new year to me and
all the rest of your blog audience –I’m looking forward to each new post , and ” thanks ” !
I sure hope it’s a good year photographically, Kris. Some issues I’m having right now with camera gear put that prospect somewhat in question.
Happy New Year, Ron. Beautiful image!
Thank you for another year of your blog. Your exquisite images and fascinating narrative enrich my life daily. May the new year bring you much joy.
Thank you for the very kind words, Sharon.
Excellent shot Ron, beautiful image of one of my favorite hawks!
Thank you, Dick.
I think kiting is one of the magical qualities which makes watching raptors (and attempting to photograph them) such a sheer joy. The special ability of these creatures which humans will never be able to duplicate just makes them all the more fascinating.
Now, if I can just remember all the steps necessary to be ready to take advantage when I encounter such a situation. Including the little detail of removing – the – lens – cap. (I don’t want to talk about it.)
We wish y’all the Happiest of New Years!
“I don’t want to talk about it”.
C’mon, Wally. Confession is good for the soul. I’m sure we’d all enjoy the story…
Great shot Ron! Sounds challenging.
Charlotte
Thanks, Charlotte.
WOW. This is stunning. Yes, they do fireworks here but Mother Nature rained on their parade so they were abbreviated. My dogs don’t seem to mind them but I was at a friend’s house. They had a visiting dog who did mind them. She and I holed up in a quiet room with bone. Sadly she didn’t share the bone, but she did curl up against me so I could love on her a bit. 😀 Happy New Year, Ron!
“Sadly she didn’t share the bone”.
That brought visions of both you and the dog gnawing on the bone as you tried to ignore the fireworks, Arwen. Made me smile.
I love watching raptors play in the wind. We have plenty of wind here also, which can be unsettling for fledglings (I was watching American Kestrels), but also offers them the opportunity to learn what they can do in the wind. This is a beautiful portrait of the Roughie (a bird I’ve never seen in person).
I guess we were fortunate last night – I did not hear any fireworks. Happy new year and hope you have lots of great photographic opportunities in the coming year.
Wind and raptors do often seem to go together, don’t they, Susan? As long as it isn’t blowing too hard. Thank you.
Such a beauty, Ron !!!! May you get many more such amazing captures in the New Year!!! All good things!!!
Thank you, Lois. I wish you the same!