Urban Raptor Photography

When I first moved to Utah in 2009 I never expected to be able to do urban raptor photography from my living room window. I live in a noisy city with expansive, sterile blue grass lawns although there are mature trees in the neighborhood with green spaces, ponds and a river nearby.

Because I am never not looking for birds in the past week I have been able to photograph two birds of prey from my open living room window.

Bald Eagle in a tree across the street – Nikon D500, handheld, f7.1, 1/640, ISO 800, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light, not baited

One week ago today I was walking from the kitchen in my small apartment with my breakfast when I spotted a large shape in the neighbor’s tree across the street. When I walked closer to my window I could see an adult Bald Eagle perched on the leafless branches. I put my breakfast down, grabbed my camera, opened the window, locked focus, and took a series of images of the eagle. I didn’t mind the low light or the branches that prevented a clear view. I simply wanted the photos to share with the neighbors.

I stopped photographing long enough to call the neighbors and left a voicemail telling them about the Bald Eagle in their tree then took a few more images of the bird before it flew away. My neighbors were able to see the eagle before it took off.

My breakfast was cold by the time I got back to it.

The next afternoon I spotted the eagle in the neighbor’s tree again. It was later in the day and the sun was higher than the day before plus I couldn’t get a great view of the large bird of prey from my living room window so I didn’t take photos of the eagle. I left a voicemail for my neighbor and she was able to see the eagle in her tree before it lifted off.

Seeing Bald Eagles in January where I live in the city isn’t all that rare. Almost every year since I have been here I have seen them in the neighborhood. I am sure that the nearby ponds and river attract them. Even so, a Bald Eagle is a great urban bird.

Cooper’s Hawk eating breakfast – Nikon D500, handheld, f7.1, 1/125, ISO 500, +0.3 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light, not baited

Yesterday morning was cloudy when I woke up and I decided to stay at home instead of going out into the field. Not long after the sun came up as I walked from my kitchen towards my living room with a cup of coffee I saw a shape moving in a different tree in the neighbor’s yard across the street.

I put my coffee down, grabbed my camera, opened the window and focused on a Cooper’s Hawk having an al fresco breakfast. The light was poor and there were branches in front of the hawk but it was great to photograph the action from the warmth of my living room through my open window.

At one point a man and his rather large, white dog walked almost directly underneath of the Cooper’s Hawk as it ate and the hawk didn’t even flinch. The man never looked up so I doubt that he even noticed the bird.

Later in the day I sent Vicky; my neighbor, a photo of the Cooper’s Hawk and told her that her yard has sure been attracting raptors this winter. Last year me and Vicky had planned to go out into the field together and like so many other things in 2020 our plan had to be cancelled because of the pandemic. Hopefully we can get out into the field together sometime in 2021?

Even on days that I stay home I am always on the lookout for birds and these two urban raptors were wonderful to have in my viewfinder from my living room window.

Life is good.

Mia

To see more of my hawk, eagle, osprey, and vulture photos click here.