I went out to try to get Brown Creeper photos again yesterday morning and was only able to take a few crappy, long distance images of them but I had a nice encounter with an adult dark morph Ferruginous Hawk that made my day.
Dark morph Ferruginous Hawk on the hunt – Nikon D500, f6.3, 1/4000, ISO 500, +0.7 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light, not baited
It has been a long time since I had a dark morph Ferruginous Hawk in my view finder so when I spotted it hovering over a field I knew I had to stop and get photos of it. After an unsuccessful dive at prey the regal hawk flew in closer which allowed me to take a few nice images of it.
I see far more light morph Ferruginous Hawks than I do dark morphs which is normal. There are more light morphs of this species than there are dark morphs.
Dark morph Ferruginous Hawk in flight over a field – Nikon D500, f6.3, 1/4000, ISO 500, +0.7 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light, not baited
The Ferruginous Hawk flew past and then up higher into the sky where it hovered in flight over the field again until I lost sight of it. I’ve seen more Ferruginous Hawks in the past month than I’ve seen all summer and I’m hoping this handsome, dark morph hangs around so that I have more opportunities to photograph it perched, preening, resting and on the wing.
It was wonderful to see and point out this hawk on the hunt, it was the highlight of my morning.
I also took some nice Mountain Chickadee and Red-breasted Nuthatch photos yesterday morning and enjoyed the beautiful views.
Life is good.
Mia
Click here to see more of my Ferruginous Hawk photos plus facts and information about this species.
Powerful images.
I’ve finally had a chance to dig into your blog site. Your passion for our natual world is an inspiration. Hope we get a chance to meet in the future.
Fran Meyerson
Since being in Arizona, I have seen more birds than in the yards of Florida. It has given me a greater respect for the quality of your shots. These capture the power of the Hawks when searching for prey. Thanks for sharing your work.
Excellent images!! Nice captures of a rare and beautiful bird! I would love to capture an image of a dark morph Ferruginous Hawk in flight….a worthy future goal.
Beautiful shots of a fairly rare bird in my neck of the prairies! I’ve seen plenty of light morph Ferruginous Hawks but I have yet to find a dark morph. They truly are the kings of the hawks!
I absolutely love the angle of the hawk in both shots — you really caught the intensity of the hunt! That open beak is the icing on the cake! Hope you get lots more time with this bird. 🙂
Fantastic pictures! WOW!
A ferocious looking hawk. As always, beautiful photography.
What a gorgeous hawk. Love the gray head and nape! Beautiful shot!
Mia, you are not capable of taking a crappy pic, I have to disagree on that. This photo captured the contrast beautifully. It looks to be gliding gracefully on the current. Thank you for taking the time to include the text.