Yesterday morning I spent some quality time with the rufous female Red-tailed Hawk I’ve posted images of in the past. The two of us are becoming old friends.
1/6400, f/6.3, ISO 800, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
I think she’s beautiful, even though she’s looking slightly haggard these days. After all it’s nesting season and those duties will run anyone a little ragged.
She rested here on the hillside for less than a minute before…
1/5000, f/6.3, ISO 800, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
rousing. When raptors in particular rouse (or stretch or poop) it’s often an indicator that takeoff is imminent and this time she…
1/6400, f/6.3, ISO 800, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
didn’t disappoint and followed that largely predictable pattern perfectly. My only complaint was that she didn’t…
1/6400, f/6.3, ISO 800, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
look more in my direction so I would have some eye contact while she was taking off I guess she had other concerns that were more important to her than posing perfectly for the photographer.
The bugs at this location were just horrid yesterday. The mosquitos were bad enough but those nasty biting gnats (no-see-ums) were off the charts. I almost bathed in bug spray which mostly kept the skeeters at bay but I think biting gnats drink that stuff as an appetizer before starting on the main course – me.
But it was sure good to see the rufous red-tail again. It’s been a while.
Ron
She may be looking ragged because she’s molting – it’s the season for it.
It may be a little of both, Caryl.
Love, Love, Love it, Ron!! She’s one fabulous RTH!!!
Thanks, Jo Ann.
Thanks for braving the blood suckers so we could see this old friend. 🙂
Marty, it’s a steep price to pay but I continue to do it so either it’s worth it or maybe I’m just crazy… 🙂
Such a gorgeous hawk. That underwing pattern and coloration is just too, too good.
Must be a great feeling to meet up with such a fine old friend.
A well deserved reward for all your diligent, hard work.
Thanks for taking us there!
I think you get it, Dave. For me she’s a special bird.
She is beautiful!
I think so too.
How lovely to see an old friend. Even bedraggled this hard working mama is gorgeous. And how nice to know I have a teensy-weensy something in common with birds. I too stretch and at least piddle before heading off (in a sadly land-bound way).
Ha, I think we all share a trait similar to that, EC. Never thought about it that way.
Ron. She is beautiful Diana
You said you were partial to red heads.
I am, in the bird world.
Such a attractive dark bird. Wonderful Series, I hope it was worth the blood price. Did Mia get bitten badly too?
Thanks, April. Unusual as it is Mia didn’t come with me that day.
She is really beautiful! A relationship with a raptor is special and I hope you enjoy it for many years to come. By the way, Skin So Soft is the best to keep you safe from the no-seums. I was or still is an Avon product but I think you can get it drug stores. I used to ride my horse by and in the Salt River and it protected both me and my horse, yes I sprayed it on my horse, too. Kept from shaking her head a lot to get rid of the nasty critters. Hope this helps.
Thanks for the tip, Pat.
Great series….at first I thought it was a series of an Alaskan mosquito, but then reality set in…love the take off shots especially….
Thank you, Patty.
We have a female Red Tail Hawk who spent the Winter with us on the Heron Rookery in Farmington. We affectionately named her Erica the Red. Your beautiful photos reminded me of her.
I think I’ve seen her, Sheri.
She’s a beauty, all right. Have you gotten her phone number yet?
She’s spoken for, Martha…
Perfect series Ron. She is a beautiful hawk and that blue sky is absolutely perfect. Great job of getting her full frame in that last shot. Her spread wings are really beautiful. I think that rock perch, the shrubs, her coloring and the blue sky all contributed to series of perfect photos. Great job Ron.
Thanks, Everett. I like the natural setting too. However, that image isn’t full frame. I cropped it moderately for composition purposes.
Love her! She really is stunning. As to the bugs, ugh.
She is indeed. Thanks, Arwen.
Amazing how they can got from all ruffed up to sleek in a heartbeat! 🙂 Beautiful bird even if parenting getting to her at the moment…:) Mosquitos are going to be an issue after 2 nights of heavy storms with over an inch of rain in each (most of it “ran” of course). Gave us a break with just light rain last night. Lots of damage to hay fields and, in Belt, S of us much tree damage.
Judy, the worst mosquitos I ever encountered were in early summer on the MT farm when I was a kid. I always staked my horse out down by the creek where the grass was lush but in the evenings the skeeters were absolutely horrible. I remember slapping my hand on Star’s belly and getting a hand back that was dripping with blood from the engorged mosquitos.
She is a beauty! The coloration of her wing feathers is particularly attractive; the details are eye-catching. I’m not sure where ours go off to for breeding; I only see them occasionally this time of the year, It is a slow time for raptors here. Mosquitoes…now that is another story. With all the rain this year they are especially hungry. You avoid the shady spots even in the daytime! I sacrificed a half pint of my blood getting pictures of some wood ducks near the wooded ponds.
Thanks, Kathy. Around here skeeters are mostly just an annoyance in places where they exist at all but those damned gnats simply cannot be ignored. Not good for bird photography when you’re constantly swiping them away. I hate’em.
Spectacular series Ron!
Charlotte
Thanks, Charlotte.