I don’t recall photographing a banded Roughie before.
1/640, f/7.1, 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
Christmas morning at Farmington Bay WMA was heavily overcast so when this adult female Rough-legged Hawk took off toward me my shutter speed was so low (1/640) there was fairly severe motion blur in her wings, which in this photo I actually kinda like for a change. She took off in my direction so…
1/640, f/7.1, 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 got several shots of her coming my way. It wasn’t until I looked at this photo on my screen at home that I realized she was banded on her right leg. After looking through my files I believe her to be the first banded Roughie I’ve photographed, at least photographed well enough to keep the photos.
I thought I might be able to read her band numbers well enough to report them to the Bird Banding Lab so I…
cropped tightly on that area of the photo to see if I could read them. But even at a 100% crop I just can’t, not confidently and not enough of them. I suspect that other photographers who spend more time at Farmington than I do may have been able to get those numbers and report them. I hope so.
I’ve been closely following Neil Paprocki’s work with the highly ambitious Rough-legged Hawk Project where they’ve been banding Roughies and attaching GPS transmitters to them so they can study their migration. Rough-legged Hawks are an understudied species and this project is a fascinating one that is already filling in many of the blanks so I was hoping to contribute a tiny bit to our bank of knowledge of the species.
Maybe next time.
Ron
Really like the first shot. The motion blur definitely adds to the story, especially when contrasted to her sharp face.
I want to say that I see 22 a space and a 4, but I don’t think it would hold up in court.
Thanks, Marty. That’s four of us now (comments from elsewhere, not here) who think they see 224 – including Neil Paprocki.
On tv crime shows a criminal photography expert always seems able to sharpen blurred images to figure out the numbers – license plates for example. I don’t know if this is a real thing.
There’s some sharpening that can be done, but the degree shown on TV shows is definitely some dramatic license. 🙂
Those are some very dramatic license plates, to be sure! 😂
You know I love hawks – and the sharpness on her face in the first shot is accentuated by the blurred wings – love it!
Also love studying migratory patterns of birds and other animals (whales). It is astounding how many miles are covered in a year. Why I can’t visit zoos – they overwhelm me with sadness seeing animals caged and unable to travel the miles they are meant to travel.
Kathleen, I haven’t been to our zoo, or any zoo for that matter, for over a decade. For the same reason as you.
I believe zoos often serve a constructive purpose or two but they’re not for me.
Another stunning series. Thank you. That band is a substantial piece of jewelry. I hope it does the job it was designed to do.
Thanks, EC. I hope so too – we’re working on it.
Fantastic series Ron! Thanks for sharing!
Charlotte Norton
Thanks, Charlotte.
Couldn’t help but look at gender differences compared to the male of a couple of days ago, especially the face and belly markings.
Landing gear is up on the male, so banding status unknown. Also, as in yesterday’s post I think the clutter factor of the tree adds context. Another instructive post. Thanks.
Lyle, all the clutter in that first shot doesn’t bother me much because her face can clearly be seen between the twigs. I quite like it actually, despite the poor light.
Really nice shots and I feel your disappointment in being unable to see the band id clearly. I have only once ever been able to do so, a band on a Trumpeter swan, but getting back a full life history on a bird you saw for five or ten minutes is indeed fulfilling
Granny Pat, I’ve received reports back from the BBL a couple of times. This was one of them. Mine was a Tundra Swan (Whistling Swan).
https://www.featheredphotography.com/blog/2014/03/19/the-value-and-rewards-of-reporting-banded-birds/
Beautiful! I REALLY like these shots of the hawk coming towards you. 🙂 Wing blur a bonus in this case in my opinion.
Have never noticed bands on any of the raptors around here but then haven’t been looking either… 😉
Thanks, Judy. I don’t see banded buteos very often either but I do see a few. I suspect banded buteos are seen more often back east… ?
Somehow, the “blur” works to accentuate the huge, powerful wings…….it
appears to me as if the flight feathers (near the wingtips ) are proportionately
longer than other raptors’ ? Or is that only a function of the angle at which
we’re seeing them in this really thrilling pose ?
I’m not sure about the answer to your question, Kris.
The slight blur emphasizes the motion, of course… works well in this shot. Imo.
Good. Thanks, Cheryl.
That is a neat shot coming through the branches and yes, I like the blur too. I have never seen a banded hawk although I am sure they are out there. Most of our eagles who were hatched here in Prescott have been banded. We have one who was severely injured as an adult and then rehabilitated who has a red band on one leg and a solar tracking device on the other. Because I was involved with this eagle Fish & Game often send me a report on his travels. It is remarkable how far and how many states he has visited in the western US.
“It is remarkable how far and how many states he has visited in the western US”
Exactly, Everett. Bald Eagles and Roughies really get around.
The face is beautiful of this Rough Legged hawk. Great photo.
Take Care,
Kaye
Thank you, Kaye.
Love that first shot, and the GPS tracking of 77 rough-legged hawks is fascinating . . . https://www.usgs.gov/media/images/year-round-gps-movements-77-rough-legged-hawks
Thanks, Terri.