intermediate morph – Mia McPherson's On The Wing Photography

Spring Swainson’s Hawk In Sage

By Mia McPherson|2021-04-19T05:49:53-05:00April 19th, 2021|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, Swainson's Hawks, Utah|Tags: adult, birds of prey, Buteo swainsoni, Buteos, desert, hawk, hawks, Hawks of Utah, hillside, intermediate morph, nestled, raptors, sage, sagebrush, sky, snuggled, Swainson's Hawk|

The Swainson's Hawk that I spent the most time photographing was snuggled into the top of a sage and he was very calm and confiding.

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Wet Swainson’s Hawk In A Storm

By Mia McPherson|2021-03-31T04:44:05-05:00May 19th, 2020|Categories: Beaverhead County, Birds, Montana, Swainson's Hawks|Tags: adult, birds of prey, Buteo swainsoni, Buteos, fence post, grasses, hawk, hawks, Hawks of Montana, hillside, intermediate morph, male, perched, post, rain, rain drops, raptors, sage, sagebrush, Swainson's Hawk, wet, wooden post|

This adult male Swainson's Hawk was perched near his nest in a light rain and although he looked soaking wet that didn't appear to bother him much at all.

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Swainson’s Hawk Chicks, Sub-adult And Adults

By Mia McPherson|2021-03-09T04:18:29-06:00March 31st, 2020|Categories: Beaverhead County, Birds, Box Elder County, Centennial Valley, Clark County, Idaho, Montana, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Swainson's Hawks, Utah|Tags: adult, birds of prey, breeding grounds, Buteo swainsoni, Buteos, chicks, conifer, dark morph, defecating, female, hawk, hawks, immature, intermediate morph, juvenile, light morph, male, nest tree, nesting tree, perched, pooping, post, raptors, rousing, sky, storm, stormy, sub-adult, subadult, Swainson's Hawk, wooden post, young|

These are the life stages of the Swainson's Hawks I see, observe and photograph here in Utah, Idaho and Montana.

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Rough-legged Hawks Will Be Leaving – Swainson’s Hawks Will Arrive Soon

By Mia McPherson|2021-03-31T14:14:55-05:00February 29th, 2020|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Rough-legged Hawks, Swainson's Hawks, Utah|Tags: adult, arrive, Buteo lagopus, Buteo swainsoni, Buteos, hawk, hawks, Hawks of Utah, intermediate morph, leaving, light morph, male, metal post, migration, morning, perched, raptors, Rough-legged Hawk, rusty, sign, spring migration, Swainson's Hawk, wooden sign|

It is almost time for me to see a seasonal switch of raptors here in northern Utah because the Rough-legged Hawks will leaving and the Swainson's will arrive soon.

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Intermediate Morph Swainson’s Hawk In Flight

By Mia McPherson|2021-04-15T03:54:17-05:00April 26th, 2018|Categories: Box Elder County, Swainson's Hawks, Utah|Tags: adult, birds of prey, blue sky, Buteo swainsoni, flight, hawk, hawks, Hawks of Utah, intermediate morph, mountains, raptors, Swainson's Hawk|

Last week I was able to photograph several Swainson's Hawks, some perched and others while in flight and of the flight photos I liked this photo the most because of the mountains in the background.

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Autumn Swainson’s Hawk

By Mia McPherson|2021-03-31T14:37:36-05:00September 26th, 2016|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, Swainson's Hawks, Utah|Tags: adult, birds of prey, Buteo swainsoni, hackberry, hawk, hawks, Hawks of Utah, intermediate morph, Netleaf Hackberry, perched, raptors, Swainson's Hawk, tree|

Mid-morning I found a perched intermediate morph Swainson's Hawk in Box Elder County and was delighted when it didn't fly off immediately.

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Farewell to the Swainson’s Hawks – I’m Looking Forward to Rough-legged Hawks

By Mia McPherson|2021-03-31T14:41:39-05:00September 25th, 2016|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Box Elder County, Davis County, Rough-legged Hawks, Swainson's Hawks, Utah|Tags: adult, birds of prey, Buteo lagopus, Buteo swainsoni, Buteos, eye level, fall equinox, flight, flying, hawks, Hawks of Utah, immature, intermediate morph, perched, raptprs, Rough-legged Hawk, sky, Swainson's Hawk, tree|

Even though I am saying a fond farewell to the Swainson's Hawks I'm also looking forward to Rough-legged Hawks gracing my life for another season.

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Adult Intermediate Morph Swainson’s Hawk

By Mia McPherson|2021-07-25T14:20:14-05:00April 18th, 2016|Categories: Box Elder County, Swainson's Hawks, Utah|Tags: adult, birds of prey, Buteo swainsoni, Buteos, close up, eating, hawks, intermediate morph, preening, raptors, Swainson's Hawk, vole|

This Swainson's Hawk was right next to the road the entire time I photographed it and I was able to get a series of it it where the hawk nearly filled the frame from top to bottom.

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Two different Swainson’s Hawks

By Mia McPherson|2021-03-31T16:37:17-05:00August 1st, 2013|Categories: Beaverhead County, Birds, Montana, Swainson's Hawks|Tags: adult, birds of prey, Buteo swainsoni, dark morph, flight, flying, hawk, hawks, intermediate morph, light morph, perched, plumage, raptors, sub-adult, Swainson's Hawk, valley|

Red-tailed Hawks have the most variable plumages of North American hawks but Swainson's Hawks are also pretty variable, there are light morphs, intermediate morphs and dark morphs.

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