One of the many reasons why Antelope Island is such a very special place.
I posted this series of three photos back in 2012 and I think readers deserve to know why I’m posting them again. For the last several weeks I’ve been working on the largest print order I’ve ever attempted to fill. The amount of work involved is mind boggling but it’s now nearly complete. All that’s left is to replace one of the 22 prints ordered by the client that didn’t work out with a substitute, a hawk “going west” in the frame, and that will complete the order. This project has been dragging on for a very long time so both my client and I are anxious to get it behind us.
Last night I knew today would be a high pressure day because I spent so much time working on “the project” yesterday I didn’t get a post ready for publishing this morning and I still had to pick out and send some possible substitute images to my client. So I had a hard time sleeping last night and ended up getting up 2 AM in an attempt to get everything done on time. Wouldn’t you know it, when I got up the internet was down and when it eventually came back up it was extremely slow so I’ve really been struggling. To make matters worse I’ve spent so much time sitting at my computer lately my bad back is killing me. My old friend Murphy is working overtime this morning.
I know, I’m whining…
I’m sure that’s way more than you wanted to know. But rerunning these photos, some of which I’ll be sending to my client, is saving me some valuable time. Besides, most current blog followers have never seen them and I like them a lot for reasons I’ll explain.
1/3200, f/6.3, ISO 400, Canon 7D, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
Antelope Island is special for both its biological and geological diversity. Some of the oldest rocks in Utah, called the Farmington Canyon Complex, are exposed on the south two thirds of the island but rarely exposed elsewhere in the state because they’re an extremely old (1.7 billion years) igneous Precambrian “basement” layer covered by very thick layers of mostly sedimentary strata. The Farmington Canyon Complex is composed of rocks of a variety of compositions and colors (thus the name “complex”) and one of them is this very dark rock exposed near the turnoff to the Frary Peak Trailhead that I believe is called amphibolite gneiss (geologists, please correct me if I’m wrong.)
I love photographing raptors on natural perches and they don’t come any more natural than this nearly primordial rock exposure. The young hawk and its sibling that it was still hanging around with spent several weeks in this area of the island back in the summer of 2012, On this particular morning I was delighted to find this one hunting voles in the grasses below the rocks, especially when ‘he’ allowed me a close approach.
Here he appears to have spotted a presumed vole and is about to go after it.
1/2500, f/6.3, ISO 400, Canon 7D, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
I caught him during launch and…
1/2500, f/6.3, ISO 400, Canon 7D, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
immediately after. Normally this isn’t my favorite wing position but I’ll make an exception here because it allowed me to crop the photo to include both the hawk and so much of the ancient rocks that have so much meaning for me.
When I first started photographing birds I was shallow enough to dislike bird “whitewash” on their perches. I can’t explain why I didn’t like it, I just didn’t. But now I see it as a sign of healthy bird numbers and a thriving environment so over the years whitewash has become a positive rather than a negative for me.
Bird whitewash on 1.7 billion year old rocks with a handsome young hawk in flight thrown in for good measure. For me my photos don’t get much better than that.
Ron
PS – In case you’re interested the inexperienced young hawk missed the vole.
Very late to this party today—but perhaps by now your project is wrapped up and you’re finally able to get some relief from the back pain …
These photos with beautiful near-primordial perch are amazing — but that first one with handsome young hawk and very complementary ancient rock is simply stunning!
It’s pretty much wrapped up now, Chris. We concluded it with a phone call – first time I’ve actually talked to my client and heard her voice. It was a delightful conversation.
I’m very glad you like that first photo. Thank you.
Ron, thanks for giving me a new perspective on whitewash. I’ll admit that I noticed it and was distracted. Now I feel much better about that after receiving your sage comments. However, yesterday a Cardinal wanted to buy my car. While I was observing the local Bald Eagle nest with newly hatched eaglets, the bird put a deposit on it. He was fighting his reflection in my side view mirror.
Ken, I got a big kick out of your comment. And a guffaw.
Believe me, it took me a while to appreciate whitewash and I still don’t like it on my pickup. Or on my house windows.
Magnificent. Truly magnificent.
I always like to see the old and the young together.
I hope your back improves and your order is completed.
Thank you, EC. Twice…
I think I may be more enthused by the rocks in your photographs today than by the bird (and the bird is fabulous!). I’m always over-the-moon-thrilled to get a peek at any Precambrian rocks! It’s so exciting to try to wrap my head around something that is BILLIONS of years old, especially if I’m able to touch it — must be the weirdo science teacher in me! (Here are some more exclamation points because I don’t think I have enough: !!!!!!!!!!) Love the whitewash too.
I’m sorry Ol’ Murph has been bothering you today. Whenever he’s visiting here, I tell him to leave you alone, but the bastard just won’t listen! Hope you can get some rest for your back soon.
Good, I’m glad you like the rocks, Marty – for the reason you do because that’s a big part of why I like them too. When you see ol Murph you can tell him for me to go to hell…
Lovely bird and setting. Those old, jagged, rocks make a nice setting. I watch for white wash knowing that a bird might be near by. However that stuff can stay on surfaces for years after the birds have moved on. As I use to wash and scrape hundreds of kennels raptors stayed in during rehabilitation, I would ponder why paint companies did not use a similar chemical composition for outdoor house paint as the urates in raptor poo.
Yes, it’s very durable isn’t it April. That’s because uric acid has low solubility in water unless it’s quite hot. That big white one on the big rock on your left just before you pull into the Frary Peak parking lot has been there for a very long time and I haven’t seen any sizeable bird on it for a couple of years.
Hello! First timer here. Your photos today are majestic. And as an aside, your logo on the photos is amazing – subtle yet beautiful.
Welcome to Feathered Photography, Mary. Thank you.
I can only imagine the reason for such a large order from your client, but they can’t go wrong with this series. The young Hawk, the old rock, the whitewash, and the little touch of green (sow thistle?). Love it.
Painful back, lack of sleep, slow internet, deadlines. What’s that they say about suffering for one’s art? Still, a backache is just a pain in the…back.
“a backache is just a pain in the…back.”
Mine is mostly elsewhere, Lyle. But it originates in my back. I don’t know what that touch of green is.
A beautiful series Ron and I love learning about the very mature rock under that young hawk. 1.7 billion years, can’t wrap my head around that. I hope today goes smoothly for you and your back pain subsides quickly.
That many years is almost impossible to fathom isn’t it, Mark. Thanks for the good wishes.
Beautiful all around. Love the first photo and those rocks are certainly impressive. By the looks of the ‘whitewash’ they are a favorite spot! Terrific winds here all night..50mph gusts. I shudder to think of birds migrating right now. The big three…RedWings, Grackles, and Starlings are attacking every feeder in site. Hopefully some will move on.
Thanks, Kathy. I miss seeing whitewash on those rocks. I don’t remember seeing a red-tail on the island for several years now. With the Great Salt Lake drying up everything is going to hell around here.
Right now, I am finding myself jealous that I didn’t have a biology teacher like you. In fact? I can’t even remember my biology teacher and that’s sad! 😀
I really love this series…especially the last line because curious minds want to know!
I really appreciate that sentiment, Arwen. I remember my HS biology teacher. I didn’t think he was very good but then at the time I wasn’t a very good student so I guess we each gave as good as we got… 🙂
Lovely photos – and very impressive education on the rocks! Makes these photos even more endearing. So sorry your back is hurting – do you have a good supportive chair at your computer desk? Sending you good and healthy wishes Ron 😊
Kathleen, I’ve gone through so many chairs over the years trying to find the best one for my back I could fill a classroom with them. None of them have been panaceas but some are definitely better than others.
I love these photos—-the bird is impressive, as always, in your captures–
and the “gneiss” is a perfect perch / background……the edges of the
formation look so much like feather tips; even the color is a mirror of the
bird’s own. I wish you the best for finishing the large order soon’
and I’ll bet that your back condition will improve upon completion of that
pressure—-we haven’t been “upright” as a species nearly long enough–
maybe in a million more years, if we survive ?
“we haven’t been “upright” as a species nearly long enough–
maybe in a million more years, if we survive”
Thanks for that chuckle, Kris. What you said is spot on and it made me smile, not surprisingly for the first time today.
Thank you Ron for posting a young red-tailed hawk on my birthday! As my husband, Mark would say, “ a coincidence? I think not.” 💜🌻(p.s.thank you for your beautiful print of the red tailed hawk in the sunflowers…it means so much and hangs proudly in our living room, looking as if it’s flying out of the sunflowers into our room!)
Happy Birthday Beth! I wish I could take credit for deliberately posting it on your special day but sadly I can’t.
And I love that you’re enjoying your print.
That first photo is a classic. So noble, so beautiful. And like all young things, it misses the target! I worked (as a rehabber and falconer) with a number of young redtails, and I love their pride and their power and watching them get closer to the voles as they learn the ropes. Sometimes one got lucky. “My” last youngster got a rabbit on his first major hunt! Chased it into an old truck tire and nailed it. Speaking of pride! He wouldn’t let it go, even after he’d eaten himself to bursting almost, and took it home in his carrier. That male RT still visits me from time to time. He’s five now. A successful West Nile Virus survivor.
I can see why you’re so attached to that bird, Sallie. I’m a little surprised but I don’t remember ever seeing a red-tail even attempt a rabbit. Maybe that’s because many of our rabbits are large jacks.
What I notice in these pictures is that the raptor is so focused on its prey that it slides off its perch while taking care to move its head as little as possible. It is always impressive to see them hunt. Thank you for showing us these superb photographs. Have a great day, Ron!
I noticed that too, Laval. In flight his head is at the same angle as it was when he was perched. He stayed locked on to the vole the entire time.
Come on Ron, there’s no whining in bird photography. Borrowing Tom Hank’s line from A League of Their Own – “There’s no crying in baseball.” I wonder if that Red-tail is aware that those whitewashed rocks are 1.7 billion years old? Interesting series. Wishing you good luck with the project, a very satisfied customer, and relief from the back pain.
Thanks, Everett. I’ll take all three of your good wishes in a heartbeat.
Beautiful! The rocks fit perfectly with the hawks, “whitewash” and all….😀 The 1st photo in particular REALLY shows a “regal” bird.
We have ridges of Shonkinite in the vicinity that look similar to those rocks.
Hope you can finish the project and get it “down the road”….
GHO got spotted by the Blue Jays this morning so it’s “noisy” out there….
Thanks, Judy. I keep thinking about the owls on the farm. They’d be nesting now and I’ve never been able to be there for that. Typically I don’t get up there until the chicks are about ready to fledge.