For this Montana farm boy tumbleweeds symbolize the Old West. As a kid I probably watched too many Western movies.
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
Most Rough-legged Hawks I’ve photographed this winter have been perched on signs or other man-made structures so four days ago at Bear River MBR I was excited to find this immature Roughie perched on a tumbleweed. Most plant species we call tumbleweeds were introduced from Asia but they’ve become naturalized and pervasive and in the minds of many they symbolize frontier areas and the Old West so they’re close enough to “natural” in my book.
Yes, that’s frost on the hawk’s back.
This bird was at about the right distance for takeoff and flight shots so I left my camera settings where they were to give me oodles of shutter speed but a vehicle approaching from behind put the kibosh on those intentions. I had to move my pickup out of the way and almost immediately after I started my engine the hawk flew the coop while my camera and lens were sitting uselessly on my lap.
Oh well, I like the perched shots so I’ll keep my bellyaching to a minimum.
Ron
Note to photographers:
Speaking of bellyaching, I’ve been complaining all winter about getting soft shots due to variable contraction of my camera and lens elements when I stick my warm lens out my pickup window into the freezing air. So in recent weeks while I’ve been out shooting I’ve been bundling up with coats, heavy socks and gloves so I can keep the interior of my pickup, and my lens, cold. Brrr!
That strategy seems to help, a lot, but it isn’t foolproof. On this morning most of my photos were tack sharp or close to it but my photos of this Roughie were just a little soft when I looked at them at 100%. I can only blame that disparity on the vagaries of photography and perhaps on my old friend Murphy.
That little Roughie is a real beauty! We’re grateful to you sacrificing your warm truck for the sake of photos like this. Glad to see that tumbleweeds are good for something—I’ve had a close call or two with them on a desert highway and even not that far from home. For which I blame the Devil Wind. And really sorry that Everett’s Bald Eagle nest tree and chick(s) fell victim to it.
Chris, in MT I’ve seen entire coulees filled up with tumbleweeds. Other times it’s foxtails. The wind keeps blowing them away but there’s more than enough to replace them.
You done took a mighty purty picture thar, pardner. I’m mighty obliged that you toughed it out in that there freezin’ vehicle to get a clear bead on this beauty.
Yours truly,
Tex Tumbleweed
Cowboy photographers gotta be tough, Tex. Maybe that’s why I’m no longer a cowboy.
That’s a beautiful shot Ron. I love the colors and texture in both the foreground and background. Having grown up in Lubbock, I also learned to appreciate the beauty and symbolism of tumbleweeds. And being in the deep freeze in Fort Collins right now, I can definitely appreciate your braving the cold to bring us great photos. As always, very much appreciated.
Bill, there’s just something kinda neat about tumbleweeds. It’s the wind that blows them around that I’m less fond of.
I have read that male Rough-Legged Hawks tend to migrate farther south than females. Therefore , which you see depends on your latitude. Ideas?
John, Here’s what Cornell has to say on the matter:
” Limited evidence suggests that females winter farther north than males on average, although there is considerable overlap”
I have no idea what sex this youngster is. The words “limited evidence”, “on average” and “considerable overlap” suggest to me that it isn’t a reliable way to sex Roughies – immatures or adults.
What a beauty! And a terrific pose, Ron. Thanks for the post. Hard not to anthropomorphize these “sweet-looking” raptors! (I guess it’s the rounded head that makes them look “sweet”.)
Thanks, Ellen. I think the rounded head is part of it but their relatively short bills contribute to the illusion.
Super photo, Ron. Such a lovely, healthy looking immature Rough-Legged Hawk. I hope the little guy is a successful hunter and finding plenty of prey. The frost on its back is amazing. Do you know if that means that the hawk perched there all night? It seems that the frost would dissipate when the bird flies. Was the tumbleweed still attached to the ground? This east coast girl has only seen tumbleweeds tumbling in Westerns.
Melanie, I doubt that it was perched there all night.
No, the tumbleweed wasn’t still attached to the ground. They naturally break off at the root so they can blow around and disperse their seeds. This one is upside down. You can see where it broke off at the root – the whitish part in front of the hawk.
The tumbleweed is certainly a natural perch and is interesting. Love the tumbleweeds in AZ. One of our cities builds a tumbleweed Christmas tree in the town square each year! Seeing the frost on the roughie makes me feel cold!
Kathleen, seeing the frost on the Roughie reminds me that I WAS cold when I took the shot!
Looks pretty sharp to me. Nice shot. Shame you had to move your truck after getting all set up like that.
Sad news here. Yesterday we discovered that the tree at Lynx Lake that our eagle’s nest was in came down in the very high winds the night before. Fish and Game went out and found fragments of shells and one intact egg with a dead almost ready to hatch eaglet. They said that a large beehive built into the trunk of the tree probably helped accelerate its demise. There were no signs of injured adult eagles and now as of this morning they have been sighted. So now next year they will have to build a new nest and start all over again. Lots of snow here this morning too. No guarantees in nature as we all have seen.
Terrible news, Everett. Bald Eagles sometimes renest (lay more eggs) if their eggs are destroyed but I doubt if they’ll build a completely new nest if their old one was destroyed this late in their nesting season.
Very Old West with the tumbleweeds aka Russian Thistles.
Yup, many tumbleweeds are Russian Thistles but not all of them.
Kochia is the main “culprit” in this area……
I don’t remember us using the word kochia when I was on the farm but my cousin Ken Dudley (he took over our combined farms) used to cuss that stuff, using that word, with passion. He hated it.
Another thing learned!
A cold pickup for hours on end. Brrrr! I admire your dedication and sharp images are great but . . . yeah, Brrr! 🥶🥴
Tumbleweeds are great “toys” which I remember well from the part of my childhood spent in Manitoba. I hope you get more chances for shots of them with birds.
Yup, cold. Sure feels good to turn the heat on when I head for home.
I have photos of hawks and owls on or close to tumbleweeds. I generally like them in my photos.
Nice! “tumbleweeds” are a PITA even if making for a nice perch for the Roughie… 😉 Of course they wait a move the second you’re otherwise occupied! 😉 “Far too many Westerns” – Joe has found a channel and……..not my favorite BUT! 😉
-20 this morning before windchill – sure kept the furnace running last night. UGH! Fortunately, it’s “supposed” to be short lived.
Judy, my MT memories of tumbleweeds are mostly good but their seeds can sure spread in the fields.
19° here but only about a half inch of new snow.