Red-tailed Hawk – Mia McPherson's On The Wing Photography

Red-tailed Hawks Do Perch on Wires

By Mia McPherson|2021-04-27T11:49:15-05:00November 11th, 2015|Categories: Birds, Red-tailed Hawks, Utah, Utah County|Tags: birds of prey, Buteo jamaicensis, hawk, hawks, perched on wires, raptors, Red-tailed Hawk|

There are always exceptions. So yes, Red-tailed Hawks do sit on wires and that is one rule of birding to discount.

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Gutsy Brewer’s Blackbird at a Red-tailed Hawk Nest

By Mia McPherson|2022-06-18T07:28:23-05:00October 12th, 2015|Categories: Beaverhead County, Birds, Brewer's Blackbirds, Montana, Nesting Birds, Red-tailed Hawks, Wildlife Ethics|Tags: birds of prey, Brewer's Blackbird, Buteo jamaicensis, chicks, Euphagus cyanocephalus, hawks, nest, nesting, raptors, Red-tailed Hawk|

This past summer I found a Red-tailed Hawk nest right next to a road in Montana that had three chicks in it that I felt I could photograph without stressing the hawks.

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Welcome September…

By Mia McPherson|2023-10-12T05:41:45-05:00September 1st, 2015|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Beaverhead County, Birds, Black Skimmers, Box Elder County, Cliff Lake, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Madison County, Montana, Pinellas County, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Utah|Tags: Alectoris chukar, Antilocapra americana, Ardea herodias, Asio flammeus, Black Skimmer, Buteo jamaicensis, Buteo swainsoni, Chukar, Great Blue Heron, Pronghorn, Red-tailed Hawk, Rynchops niger, Short-eared Owl, Swainson's Hawk|

The first day of September signals to me that cooler weather is arriving so I took a look back at some of the images I have taken in September from 2008 on.

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Red-tailed Hawks Near The Promontory Mountains

By Mia McPherson|2021-08-13T04:01:37-05:00August 12th, 2015|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, Red-tailed Hawks, Utah|Tags: adult, birds of prey, Buteo jamaicensis, Buteos, close up, desert, hawk, hawks, lichen, portrait, raptors, Red-tailed Hawk, sub-adult, summer|

Yesterday I spent the morning in Box Elder County driving along the Promontory Mountain Range and Red-tailed Hawks were the most numerous raptors I saw.

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West Desert Wanderings – Thrashers and Hawks

By Mia McPherson|2022-08-31T07:20:03-05:00July 22nd, 2015|Categories: Birds, Red-tailed Hawks, Sage Thrashers, Stansbury Mountains, Tooele County, Utah, West Desert|Tags: adult, birds of prey, desert, hawk, hawks, immature, juniper, juvenile, Oreoscoptes montanus, prey, raptors, Red-tailed Hawk, Sage Thrasher, thrasher, thrashers, west desert|

I went wandering in the West Desert of Utah yesterday because the views are always great and because I hoped to find a few birds.

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Red-tailed Hawk just after lift off

By Mia McPherson|2022-10-04T06:47:48-05:00June 20th, 2015|Categories: Beaverhead County, Birds, Centennial Valley, Montana, Red-tailed Hawks|Tags: adult, birds of prey, Buteo jamaicensis, flight, flying, hawk, hawks, lift off, raptors, Red-tailed Hawk, Western Red-tailed hawk|

This Red-tailed Hawk image was taken last week in the Centennial Valley of Montana just after the hawk lifted off from a power pole.

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West Desert Medley of Birds

By Mia McPherson|2024-04-05T04:51:48-05:00April 22nd, 2015|Categories: Birds, Cassin's Finches, Chipping Sparrows, Horned Larks, Red-tailed Hawks, Say's Phoebes, Spotted Towhees, Tooele County, Utah, West Desert|Tags: bird photography, birds, Buteo jamaicensis, Cassin's Finch, Chipping Sparrow, Eremophila alpestris, finch, finches, Haemorhous cassinii, hawk, hawks, Horned Lark, lark, larks, phobes, phoebe, Pipilo maculatus, Red-tailed Hawk, Say's Phoebe, Sayornis saya, sparows, sparrow, Spizella passerina, Spotted Towhee, towhee, towhees|

Yesterday was a delight in the West Desert because there were plentiful birds to photograph including this male Spotted Towhee singing on its territory.

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Goodbye 2014!

By Mia McPherson|2022-10-04T06:39:42-05:00December 31st, 2014|Categories: Birds, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Red-tailed Hawks, Utah|Tags: adult, bird photography, birds of prey, Buteo jamaicensis, Buteos, Davis County, hawks, Hawks of Utah, marsh, nest box, raptors, Red-tailed Hawk, wetlands, winter|

As 2014 comes to an end I know I have tons to be grateful for in my personal life, my ever growing passion for bird and nature photography and life in general.

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Perched Red-tailed Hawk in a snow storm

By Mia McPherson|2024-01-02T04:54:10-06:00December 26th, 2014|Categories: Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Red-tailed Hawks, Utah|Tags: adult, birds of prey, Buteo jamaicensis, hawk, hawks, low light, raptors, red tailed hawks, Red-tailed Hawk, snow, snow storm, winter|

This beautiful rufous Red-tailed Hawk has been hanging around Farmington Bay for a couple of months now much to the delight of many photographers and myself.

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Christmas Day snow storm and a Red-tailed Hawk

By Mia McPherson|2021-01-12T04:52:06-06:00December 25th, 2014|Categories: Birds, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Red-tailed Hawks, Utah|Tags: adult, birds of prey, Buteo jamaicensis, Buteos, Christmas, Davis County, flight, flying, hawk, hawks, Hawks of Utah, raptors, Red-tailed Hawk, snow, snow storm|

I'm glad the hawk wasn't any closer or I would have missed out on exactly this image that I will always remember was created on this Christmas Day.

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Red-tailed Hawk juvenile in flight in low light

By Mia McPherson|2022-10-04T06:24:18-05:00November 21st, 2014|Categories: Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Hawks, Eagles, Ospreys and Vultures, Red-tailed Hawks, Utah|Tags: bird photography, birds, birds of prey, Buteo jamaicensis, flight, flying, fog, hawk, hawks, high key, immature, juvenile, low light, Red-tailed Hawk, snow|

I could not resist photographing the young Red-tailed Hawk though as it lifted off and flew in front of me after prey even though conditions were not ideal.

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Red-tailed Hawk lifting off

By Mia McPherson|2022-10-04T06:23:05-05:00October 30th, 2014|Categories: Birds, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Hawks, Eagles, Ospreys and Vultures, Red-tailed Hawks, Utah|Tags: adult, autumn, birds of prey, Buteo jamaicensis, Buteos, Davis County, fall, hawk, hawks, Hawks of Utah, leaves, lift off, marsh, mountains, raptors, Red-tailed Hawk, tree, Wasatch Mountain Range, wetlands|

Lately it has been wonderful to see and photograph more birds including raptors. I think the long dry spell that started the end of July might be over finally.

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Juvenile dark morph Harlan’s Hawk

By Mia McPherson|2022-09-20T15:50:43-05:00October 20th, 2014|Categories: American Coots, Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Harlan's Hawk, Red-tailed Hawks, Utah|Tags: American Coot, bird photography, birds of prey, Buteo jamaicensis, Buteo jamaicensis harlani, coot, dark morph, eating, feathers, Fulica americana, Harlan's Hawk, hawks, juvenile, marsh, prey, raptors, Red-tailed Hawk, snow, sub-adult, winter, young|

Harlan's Hawks are a subspecies of Red-tailed Hawks that breed in Alaska and northern Canada and spend their winters in the northern Great Plains.

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Gunlock State Park, a few birds and Mojave Joshua Trees

By Mia McPherson|2021-07-08T10:59:16-05:00October 13th, 2014|Categories: Birds, Gunlock State Park, House Finches, Mojave Desert, Red-tailed Hawks, Trees, Utah, Washington County|Tags: adult, bird photography, birds of prey, Buteo jamaicensis, clouds, Haemorhous mexicanus, hawk, hawks, House Finch, Joshua Tree, Joshua Trees, raptor, Red-tailed Hawk, sunset, tree, Yucca brevifolia|

I enjoyed my journey to Beaver Dam Wash, Gunlock State Park and the Mojave Desert even though I didn't see the birds I hoped to photograph, every journey is an adventure.

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Close up of a Red-tailed Hawk in flight

By Mia McPherson|2024-02-28T05:53:24-06:00September 17th, 2014|Categories: Birds, Red-tailed Hawks, Utah, Utah County|Tags: adult, birds of prey, Buteo jamaicensis, close up, flight, flying, hawk, hawks, Hawks of Utah, ranchlands, raptors, red tailed hawks, Red-tailed Hawk, sky, summer|

There are times when the birds I want to photograph are too far away and then there are times when the birds get too close, this Red-tailed Hawk got too close.

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Fighting Red-tailed Hawk juveniles

By Mia McPherson|2022-03-10T21:21:16-06:00August 30th, 2014|Categories: Birds, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Red-tailed Hawks, Utah|Tags: bird of prey, Buteo jamaicensis, Davis County, fighting, flight, Hawks of Utah, immature, juvenile, nature photography, Red-tailed Hawk, wildlife photography|

I wonder if these two juvenile Red-tailed Hawks will hang around for the winter, I sure hope so.

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Red-tailed Hawk on a cold winter day

By Mia McPherson|2022-10-04T06:19:36-05:00August 5th, 2014|Categories: Birds, Red-tailed Hawks, Utah, Utah County|Tags: adult, bird photography, birding, birds, Buteo jamaicensis, flight, flying, nature photography, Oquirrh Mountain Range, Red-tailed Hawk, wildlife photography|

I photographed this particular Red-tailed Hawk on five different days in Utah County and really enjoyed the cold, crisp mornings I had with it.

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Posts from the Past – Raptors

By Mia McPherson|2022-10-04T06:18:50-05:00July 28th, 2014|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Bald Eagles, Beaverhead County, Birds, Centennial Valley, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Montana, Prairie Falcons, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Red-tailed Hawks, Swainson's Hawks, Utah|Tags: Bald Eagle, bird photography, birding, birds, Buteo jamaicensis, Buteo swainsoni, Falco mexicanus, Haliaeetus leucocephalus, nature photography, Prairie Falcon, Red-tailed Hawk, Swainson's Hawk, wildlife photography|

Today I am focusing on older posts that have raptors in them starting with Prairie Falcons then Swainson's Hawks, Red-tailed Hawks and Bald Eagles

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One serious looking Red-tailed Hawk

By Mia McPherson|2022-10-04T06:15:06-05:00June 28th, 2014|Categories: Birds, Red-tailed Hawks, Utah, Utah County|Tags: adult, birds of prey, Buteo jamaicensis, Buteos, desert, flight, flying, hawk, hawks, Hawks of Utah, raptors, Red-tailed Hawk, sky, wildlife photography, winter|

I love the stare of raptors because they always appear so serious, intense and they have a no-nonsense look to their eyes like this Red-tailed Hawk has.

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Longing for Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge

By Mia McPherson|2023-03-22T05:57:48-05:00June 17th, 2014|Categories: Beaverhead County, Birds, Centennial Valley, Montana, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Red-tailed Hawks|Tags: adults, bird photography, bird watching, birds, birds of prey, Buteo jamaicensis, clouds, hawk, hawks, Hawks of Montana, lake, marsh, mates, mountains, nature photography, pair, pond, Red-tailed Hawk, sky, snow, water, wetlands, wildlife photography|

It is raining here in the valley this morning and snow is falling in the high country in the middle of June so I am sitting here dreaming of Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge.

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Monday Mornings Medley of Birds on Antelope Island

By Mia McPherson|2022-03-13T09:52:03-05:00May 13th, 2014|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Burrowing Owls, Chukars, Davis County, Horned Larks, Red-tailed Hawks, Sage Thrashers, Say's Phoebes, Utah, Western Kingbirds|Tags: Alectoris chukar, Athene cunicularia, birds of prey, Burrowing Owl, Buteo jamaicensis, Chukar, desert island, Eremophila alpestris, hawk, hawks, Hawks of Utah, Horned Lark, kingbird, kingbirds, lark, larks, Oreoscoptes montanus, owl, owls, phoebe, phoebes, raptors, Red-tailed Hawk, Sage Thrasher, Say's Phoebe, Sayornis saya, spring, thrasher, thrashers, Tyrannus verticalis, Western Kingbird|

Western Kingbird After several days of not being able to photograph birds because of bad weather I was pleasantly surprised to have a medley of birds to photograph on Antelope Island Monday.

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The Courtship and Copulation of a pair of Red-tailed Hawks

By Mia McPherson|2022-10-04T06:02:55-05:00March 26th, 2014|Categories: Birds, Red-tailed Hawks, Stansbury Mountains, Tooele County, Utah|Tags: adult, bird photography, birds of prey, Buteo jamaicensis, copulation, courtship, flight, hawks, juniper, mating, raptors, Red-tailed Hawk|

Yesterday I was able to see and photograph a pair of Red-tailed Hawks courting and copulating in Tooele County, Utah.

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A Cedar Valley Red-tailed Hawk

By Mia McPherson|2022-10-04T06:00:15-05:00February 3rd, 2014|Categories: Birds, Red-tailed Hawks, Utah, Utah County|Tags: adult, birds of prey, Buteo jamaicensis, Buteos, Cedar Valley, desert, flight, flying, hawk, hawks, Hawks of Utah, nature photography, raptors, Red-tailed Hawk, sky, wildlife photography|

Just a simple Red-tailed Hawk in flight image that I took early last week in Cedar Valley on a bright, clear day.

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Red-tailed Hawk in flight near the Oquirrh Mountains

By Mia McPherson|2022-10-04T05:53:32-05:00January 24th, 2014|Categories: Birds, Red-tailed Hawks, Utah, Utah County|Tags: adult, bird photography, birds of prey, Buteo jamaicensis, flight, flying, hawks, Oquirrh Mountain Range, raptors, red tailed hawks, Red-tailed Hawk|

One great bird can make a day or even an entire trip worthwhile and this particular Red-tailed Hawk photographed in Utah County has made two days wonderful so far.

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A Red-tailed Hawk in Utah County

By Mia McPherson|2022-09-20T15:45:20-05:00January 22nd, 2014|Categories: Birds, Red-tailed Hawks, Utah, Utah County|Tags: birds of prey, Buteo jamaicensis, flight, flying, hawk, hawks, Oquirrh Mountain Range, raptors, Red-tailed Hawk|

Today I have just a few images of a Red-tailed Hawk I spotted yesterday on a power pole in Utah County near the southern part of the Oquirrh Mountain Range.

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Red-tailed Hawk On A Winter Day

By Mia McPherson|2021-07-01T03:49:22-05:00January 15th, 2014|Categories: Birds, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Red-tailed Hawks, Utah|Tags: birds of prey, Buteo jamaicensis, Davis County, field, flight, flying, hawk, hawks, lift off, raptors, red-tailed, Red-tailed Hawk, sky, snow, winter, wintry|

One of the birds I photographed yesterday was this handsome Red-tailed Hawk that I spotted in a tree at Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area.

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Seeing the tail end…

By Mia McPherson|2024-02-25T04:50:43-06:00December 31st, 2013|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Barn Owls, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Red-tailed Hawks, Ring-necked Pheasants, Rough-legged Hawks, Tooele County, Turkey Vultures, Utah, Western Grebes|Tags: Aechmophorus occidentalis, Barn Owl, Buteo jamaicensis, Buteo lagopus, Cathartes aura, flight, flying, Phasianus colchicus, Red-tailed Hawk, Ring-necked Pheasant, Rough-legged Hawk, Turkey Vulture, Tyto alba, Western Grebe|

Seeing the tail end... of 2013 on this last day of December.

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High key Red-tailed Hawk juvenile

By Mia McPherson|2022-10-04T05:42:12-05:00December 21st, 2013|Categories: Birds, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Red-tailed Hawks, Utah|Tags: birds of prey, Buteo jamaicensis, flight, flying, hawk, hawks, high key, immature, juvenile, raptors, Red-tailed Hawk, winter, young|

This Red-tailed Hawk image was taken just after the juvenile lifted off from the nest box and while I love the pose I do wish the light had been a bit better.

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Red-tailed Hawk adult at Farmington Bay WMA

By Mia McPherson|2022-10-04T05:38:45-05:00November 16th, 2013|Categories: Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Red-tailed Hawks, Utah|Tags: adult, bird photography, birds of prey, Buteo jamaicensis, flight, flying, hawks, Hawks of Utah, lift off, raptors, Red-tailed Hawk|

I was happy that I found this adult Red-tailed Hawk at Farmington Bay WMA and that it did lift off after a bit because as handsome as they can be perched they are even more beautiful On The Wing.

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Adult Red-tailed Hawk and Photoshop

By Mia McPherson|2022-10-04T05:34:44-05:00November 14th, 2013|Categories: Beaverhead County, Birds, Centennial Valley, Montana, Red-tailed Hawks|Tags: adult, bird photography, birds of prey, Buteo jamaicensis, flight, flying, hawks, Hawks of Utah, photography, photoshop, photoshop repair, raptors, Red-tailed Hawk, wildlife photography, wires|

I wouldn't license this Red-tailed Hawk image for print because it has been altered but I like the image without the wires.

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