Female and male Red-tailed Hawk on a lichen covered cliff face – Nikon D500, f8, 1/1000, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light, not baited
Stopping to photograph a European Starling, a bird that many people love to hate and a species that some photographers won’t or don’t normally even raise a lens for, netted me a lovely series of photos of a mated pair of Red-tailed Hawks.
While I was trying to lock focus on the starling that was perched at the top of a small tree I saw an adult Red-tailed Hawk fly into view and land on the face of a cliff. To my surprise I could see another hawk perched next to the left of it.
The female Red-tailed Hawk (L) blended into the lichen covered cliff face so well that even with my sharp eyesight I didn’t see her until the male landed next to her. The male Red-tail (R) didn’t stay next to the female long. He flew off, found a stick, added it to the nest then he flew back to the cliff to mate with her.
Unfortunately for me the hawks both had their backs to me while they mated so there wasn’t a single photo where I had eye contact with either hawk. When they were finished mating the male flew away again.
Female Red-tailed Hawk rousing after mating – Nikon D500, f8, 1/1000, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light, not baited
The female Red-tailed Hawk stayed on the lichen-covered cliff face for a bit. After a while she turned so that I could see and photograph her chest and the profile of her face and body. When she roused I realized she might lift off and take flight so I got ready for the action.
Female Red-tailed Hawk leaping off of a cliff face – Nikon D500, f8, 1/1250, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light, not baited
Because I have learned so much about Red-tailed Hawk behavior over the years that I have been photographing them I was prepared for the female Red-tailed Hawk lifting off. She took a short leap.
Red-tailed Hawk female flying away from a cliff – Nikon D500, f8, 1/1250, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light, not baited
Then she flew in front of the lichen covered rocks of the cliff. Because she was so close to the cliff face I decided to leave my aperture set at f8 in the hopes of getting the cliff face nearly as sharply in focus as the hawk. I think that strategy worked out well for these photos. The female hawk flew off and landed in some distant cottonwood trees.
From the corner of my eye I could see the male Red-tailed Hawk gathering nesting material on the ground. The best choice of action then was to get further south and a little bit closer to the nest to try and catch the action there.
Male Red-tailed Hawk lifting off from its nest on a cliff – Nikon D500, f6.3, 1/2500, ISO 500, +0.3 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light, not baited
Although that strategy didn’t pay off when the male hawk flew in with the nesting material he had gathered because he had his back to me at that time it did work out nicely when he lifted off from the nest on the cliff face. I was able to see his face, the nest, and his shadow as he took flight.
Red-tailed Hawk male in flight over its nest – Nikon D500, f6.3, 1/2500, ISO 500, +0.3 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light, not baited
I took a nice series of images of him as he gained altitude, turned and flew to the south. I had high hopes of seeing and possibly photographing Short-eared Owls further north so I said goodbye to this pair of Red-tailed Hawks.
I took photos of another pair of Red-tailed Hawks yesterday morning not long after these were taken, including while they mated high up on some rocks. I wasn’t as happy with those photos as I was of the images of this pair.
I have to admit that after leaving both pairs of hawks a wave of uncertainty washed over me because at this point I am not sure I will be able to follow and photograph either pair of nesting Red-tailed Hawks this year due to the Covid-19 pandemic and a possible lock down in the near future. Life in these trying times is anything but normal.
If I miss the Red-tailed Hawks nesting, incubating and rearing their young I’m just glad that their cycle of life will go on unaffected by the terrible crisis we humans around the globe are facing.
Mia
*Social distancing protocols were followed.
Click here to view more of my Red-tailed Hawk photos plus facts and information about this species.
So beautiful, Mia. Thank you for sharing these special images. I’m hoping we will always be able to spend time in nature in spite of the covid-19 isolation needs. Time in nature may be the only thing to save our mental health.
Judy
Wow! What a terrific series of action pics of my favorite bird. As Mama Fratelli once famously said, “You made my day.” Thanks Mia.
Thank you so much for this series.
The consolation I am getting as we wrestle with the pandemic is that nature and wildlife are often benefiting enormously from the reductions in our daily activity.
Whether you can see them or not (fingers crossed you can) i hope they survive and thrive. This year and for the years to come.
Such gorgeous birds! Wishing them a successful mating and rearing of chicks and along with those chicks, a long life.
These are beautiful, so nice they are back into the area!
This is great to learn what these hawks are up to! thanks for posting!
Is this the pair you were hoping to see from last year? They sure have pretty colouring. and I think it is a good idea that you enlarged the depth of field to include the lichen in the background. Our provincial parks are shut down as of yesteday unless you can access them by foot, although off-road vehicles and horses are allowed on designated trails although I don’t get how because the parking lots and staging areas are closed Maybe just for people who live close to these areas. Closures include the National Parks, the government wants you to drive through and not stop. I just hope no animals are hit by vehicles. I heard gulls yesterday, a sure sign of Spring, but the temperature dropped to -10 and it snowed last night. Ah yes, patience. thank goodness the trails in the city are accessible.
I love these photos! the cliff face rusty lichen, the shadows and action shots are superb! thanks for an amazing post!
You write about the Red-tailed Hawk couple almost like a love story. I’m afraid that you may miss the rest of the story because of the pandemic. Arizona and Utah are two of the few states left that haven’t mandated the stay at home policy. The next few months are going to be difficult for people who need to be outside.