Hawks of Utah

Two Months of Photographing a Cooperative Northern Harrier

By |2021-04-10T07:23:32-05:00May 13th, 2017|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, Northern Harriers, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

There was a very cooperative first spring male Northern Harrier in a location where I photographed Short-eared Owls last year in northern Utah and for two months I could reliably see and photograph it frequently.

Molting One-Year-Old Red-tailed Hawk

By |2023-11-07T02:19:40-06:00May 9th, 2017|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, Red-tailed Hawks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I also keep images of birds that look a bit messy because they are molting even if they aren't up to my standards, like this one-year-old Red-tailed Hawk that was rapidly molting the end of July in 2015.

Photographing Swainson’s Hawks in Northern Utah

By |2021-04-27T04:31:49-05:00April 23rd, 2017|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, Swainson's Hawks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Yesterday morning in northern Utah I saw about a dozen Swainson's Hawks in about 2.25 miles, some were perched, some were in flight and all of them were wonderful to photograph.

Turkey Vultures at a Corral, Hillside Canada Goose and a Red-tailed Hawk Fly Over

By |2024-02-14T06:22:42-06:00April 11th, 2017|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, Canada Geese, Red-tailed Hawks, Turkey Vultures, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Yesterday morning was bright and sunny and I had fun photographing Turkey Vultures at a corral, a hillside Canada Goose and a Red-tailed Hawk flying over with nesting materials in northern Utah.

My First of Year Swainson’s Hawk and April Snow on Antelope Island

By |2021-03-16T15:14:58-05:00April 10th, 2017|Categories: American Bison, Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Davis County, Swainson's Hawks, Utah, Wildlife|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

My best find of the day was my first of the year Swainson's Hawk about two thirds of the way down the island perched in some trees near a freshwater spring.

Cinnamon Teal, Short-eared Owl & Red-Tailed Hawk – A Nice Mixture of Birds

By |2021-04-04T13:15:19-05:00April 5th, 2017|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, Cinnamon Teals, Red-tailed Hawks, Short-eared Owls, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

It felt great to photograph a nice mixture of birds yesterday and and to be out enjoying the beautiful scenery of northern Utah. Life is good.

Pair of Red-tailed Hawks Mating – A Wild 34 Seconds

By |2021-05-26T04:14:29-05:00March 30th, 2017|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, Red-tailed Hawks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

What I didn't expect yesterday was that I would be able to photograph the Red-tailed Hawks mating on the lichen-covered outcropping but that is what happened

Foggy Morning Red-tailed Hawks & Turkey Vulture

By |2020-03-23T07:11:39-05:00March 27th, 2017|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, Red-tailed Hawks, Turkey Vultures, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

It wasn't "partly sunny" as predicted but I enjoyed myself while photographing the Turkey Vulture and Red-tailed Hawks on a foggy morning even though it tested my skills and techniques.

Cooper’s Hawk Takes Flight in Northern Utah

By |2024-03-16T12:22:03-05:00March 12th, 2017|Categories: Box Elder County, Cooper’s Hawks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

The Cooper's Hawk took flight without much warning at all and for a second I lost it while tracking the hawk but regained focus as it flew south past me.

Immature Rough-legged Hawk With Its Jackrabbit Prey

By |2024-02-25T02:04:14-06:00February 13th, 2017|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, Rough-legged Hawks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

My best bird of the day was a juvenile Rough-legged Hawk standing on a jackrabbit in the snow that I spotted next to the road.

Rough-legged Hawk, Lichens and Snow

By |2021-11-06T08:00:21-05:00February 6th, 2017|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, Rough-legged Hawks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

When I photographed this Rough-legged Hawk on a snow and lichen covered rock the light was decent and brought out the colors of the hawk and the orange lichen covering the rocky outcropping it was perched on.

Photographing a Red-tailed Hawk at Farmington Bay

By |2021-10-12T06:16:25-05:00January 13th, 2017|Categories: Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Red-tailed Hawks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Almost three years ago today I spent time photographing a Red-tailed Hawk at Farmington Bay that was hunting in a snowy field while using a nest box as a perch to watch for prey.

First year Red-tailed Hawk Close Up in a Snow Storm

By |2022-10-04T07:41:10-05:00December 26th, 2016|Categories: Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Red-tailed Hawks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

This first year Red-tailed Hawk close up in the snow storm was a reminder of how much our birds and wildlife have to struggle to get through the harsh winter.

Interesting Ferruginous Hawk Horizontal Take Off – It Made Me Laugh

By |2021-09-23T14:20:30-05:00November 16th, 2016|Categories: Birds, Ferruginous Hawks, Tooele County, Utah, West Desert|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I have to say that when I viewed this image on my monitor of the Ferruginous Hawk taking off from the power pole yesterday that I laughed out loud.

Red-tailed Hawk fluttering its wings

By |2022-10-04T07:25:46-05:00October 29th, 2016|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, Red-tailed Hawks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

When I took this image of a Red-tailed Hawk fluttering its wings on a pole in Box Elder County earlier this month I didn't think I'd like it and I am still not sure if I do.

My First of the Season Rough-legged Hawks

By |2021-11-06T07:24:00-05:00October 27th, 2016|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Rough-legged Hawks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I went to Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge yesterday hoping to see and photograph my first of the season Tundra Swans and Rough-legged Hawks, I dipped on the swans but found at least 5 of the hawks.

Red-tailed Hawk Nesting Maintenance Behavior in the Fall

By |2022-10-04T07:18:12-05:00September 27th, 2016|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Red-tailed Hawks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I enjoyed seeing the Red-tailed Hawks yesterday and observing their nesting maintenance behavior in the Fall, I don't see it very often so it makes it special to me.

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

By |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: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

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.

Tattered Looking Molting Red-tailed Hawk

By |2022-10-04T07:10:38-05:00June 26th, 2016|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, Red-tailed Hawks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

This time of the year I see plenty of molting Red-tailed Hawks and they can look pretty tattered, worn and shabby.

Warning – Swainson’s Hawks Ahead

By |2021-03-31T15:00:17-05:00May 25th, 2016|Categories: Box Elder County, Swainson's Hawks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

One thing I know for certain is that when the weather clears I know I am going to head back up there. And I will probably think about the title of this post... Warning - Swainson's Hawks Ahead.

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