fence post

Swainson’s Hawk in the Centennial Valley of Montana

By Mia McPherson, on November 17th, 2012%

Adult Swainson’s Hawk calling – Nikon D300, f8, 1/1250, ISO 250, +0.3 EV, Nikkor 200-400mm with 1.4x TC at 400mm, natural light, not baited or called in

Summer can be very busy for me because of camping trips to find and photograph birds and there are periods during that time where I don’t get back to edit images taken during the summer season until later. While August is traditionally the slowest month for birds in Utah that isn’t the case in the Centennial Valley of Montana which can be very birdy.

I photographed the calling adult Swainson’s Hawk in August in the Centennial Valley of Montana, it was a very cooperative hawk that stayed perched and it kept calling.

Swainson’s Hawk in the Centennial Valley of Montana – Nikon D300, f9, 1/320, ISO 320, +0.7 EV, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 400mm, natural light, not baited or called in

This adult Swainson’s had two juveniles nearby that were perched on the conifer tree that their natal nest was in and the sun was getting close to setting. Sometimes I wish I could “speak” raptor so I could know what they are saying.

Calling adult Swainson’s Hawk – Nikon D300, f9, 1/320, ISO 320, +0.7 EV, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 400mm, natural light, not baited or called in

The Swainson’s Hawks have already made their long migration south, I wonder if next summer I will see this hawk and its young in the gorgeous setting of the Centennial Valley of Montana again.

Mia

More Swainson’s Hawk images

Friday Photos – Short-eared Owl in Glacier County, Montana

By Mia McPherson, on August 19th, 2011%

Posing pretty

A Short-eared Owl posing pretty
Glacier County, Montana
Nikon D200, f6.3, 1/1600, ISO 320, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 400mm, natural light, not baited

Sorry I’ve been so quiet lately, I spent last week in Montana and have been trying to catch up with work, culling images I took last week and trying to find free moments to edit some of the photos that I took.

I am always looking for the unexpected birds to show up in locations where I might not expect them them to be and this Short-eared Owl was a bit of a nice surprise. We’d never seen one near the farm in Glacier County but there it was posing as pretty as can be on a fence post.

I’d missed seeing the Short-eared Owls at Red Rock Lakes NWR; a story I’ll write about later, so this beautiful owl felt like a treasure to find. It hunted on some CRP (Conservation Reserve Program) land that has been allowed to go unplanted and has or is reverting back to the natural grasses and flora found in the area. A pretty nifty idea which I believe helps to sustain the birds and animals that may have been misplaced by the farming done in the area.

Mia

Coming soon: Flat tires, Cattle, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Glacier National Park and Short-eared Owls

More Short-eared Owl images