Juvenile Red-tailed Hawk gliding byJuvenile Red-tailed Hawk gliding by – Nikon D300, f7.1, 1/1600, ISO 640, +0.3 EV, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 400mm, natural light, not baited

I’ve been missing the juvenile Red-tailed Hawks that I photographed on Antelope Island State Park that I first spotted there towards the end of last year’s summer who hung around into the fall. Before the vole population crashed the young hawks and a few adults were such great subjects and I could almost depend on seeing one or two of them within easy reach of my lens.

Red-tailed Hawk juvenile in flightRed-tailed Hawk juvenile in flight – Nikon D300, f7.1, 1/1600, ISO 640, +0.3 EV, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 400mm, natural light, not baited

Watching the immature hawks learning to perfect their hunting skills was a joy and I loved it when they would perch on the dark rocks or on the wing as they fly past me because it made for some wonderful photographic opportunities. These raptors look powerful when they are perched and even more so when they are on the wing.

Landing Red-tailed Hawk juvenileLanding Red-tailed Hawk juvenile – Nikon D300, f7.1, 1/1250, ISO 640, +0.3 EV, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 257mm, natural light, not baited

There haven’t been as many raptors on Antelope Island since the vole population crashed last year but as the vole population increases they will come back.

One of the Red-tailed Hawk juveniles I photographed on Antelope Island last year has “migrated” to Switzerland where my photo of it will be featured on a 5 x 15 meter sign for a yacht company. The yacht company liked “the attributes associated with a hawk … Wanderer, Gracefulness, Defensive, Sharp Vision etc.” because it matches their “voyage philosophy”.  I hope to post a photo of the sign when they put it up and photograph it for me.

Life is good.

Mia

Click here to see more of my Red-tailed Hawk photos plus facts and information about this species.

  • I was working this post up last night an accidentally hit “publish” instead of draft when I only had the images on the page at which point I quickly changed it back to a draft. Sorry for the extra email that was sent out to subscribers last night that went to an error page. I shouldn’t work on posts when I am tired.