{"id":12319,"date":"2013-12-27T04:56:28","date_gmt":"2013-12-27T11:56:28","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=12319"},"modified":"2024-07-08T03:28:58","modified_gmt":"2024-07-08T08:28:58","slug":"rough-legged-hawk-lifting-off","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2013\/12\/27\/rough-legged-hawk-lifting-off\/","title":{"rendered":"Rough-legged Hawk lifting off"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Rough-leggedRough-legged Hawk lifting off – Nikon D300, f6.3, 1\/1600, ISO 500, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 400mm, natural light, not baited<\/span><\/p>\n

Rough-legged Hawks are among my favorites of the raptors that over winter in the Salt Lake Valley of Utah because I only<\/em> see them at this time of the year while they wait to head back to the subarctic and Arctic to breed. This winter I have seen fewer Rough-legged Hawks than I have in past winters which may be due to a crash in the vole population but that is just supposition on my part.<\/p>\n

I photographed this Rough-legged Hawk last January at the moment it lifted off from a kestrel nest box at Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area<\/span><\/a>. I like how this image shows the feathered tarsi (legs) which give this hawk its name and also shows the length of their long wings.<\/p>\n

There are just a few more weeks before these winter visitors begin their migration north to their breeding grounds so I hope to take many images of them before they go.<\/p>\n

Life is<\/em> good.<\/p>\n

Mia<\/p>\n

Click here<\/span><\/a> to view more of my Rough-legged Hawk photos plus facts and information about this species.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Rough-legged Hawks are among my favorites of the raptors that over winter in the Salt Lake Valley of Utah because I only see them at this time of the year while they wait to head back to the subarctic and Arctic to breed.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":130334,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":true,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[27,697,1087,26],"tags":[4004,2663,4275,2497,2414,2413,4033,4169,4282,2670,4094,2279,153,1648,4018,4095,373],"class_list":["post-12319","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-avian","category-farmington-bay-wma","category-rough-legged-hawks","category-utah","tag-adult","tag-birds-of-prey","tag-buteo-lagopus","tag-buteos","tag-feathered-legs","tag-feathered-tarsi","tag-hawk","tag-hawks","tag-lift-off","tag-light-morph","tag-marsh","tag-nest-box","tag-raptors","tag-rough-legged-hawk","tag-sky","tag-wetlands","tag-winter"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/rough-legged-hawk-lift-off-mia-mcpherson-5774.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-3cH","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":79672,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2021\/02\/22\/ferruginous-and-rough-legged-hawk-lift-off-photos\/","url_meta":{"origin":12319,"position":0},"title":"Ferruginous And Rough-legged Hawk Lift Off Photos","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"February 22, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Yesterday morning I was able to take Ferruginous and Rough-legged Hawk lift off photos where both of the raptors still had their feet on their perches.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"First winter Ferruginous Hawk lifting off with its feet still on the pole, West Desert, Tooele County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/ferruginous-hawk-power-pole-lift-off-mia-mcpherson-4930-1.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/ferruginous-hawk-power-pole-lift-off-mia-mcpherson-4930-1.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/ferruginous-hawk-power-pole-lift-off-mia-mcpherson-4930-1.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/ferruginous-hawk-power-pole-lift-off-mia-mcpherson-4930-1.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":44561,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2017\/01\/23\/rough-legged-hawk-on-a-designated-parking-sign\/","url_meta":{"origin":12319,"position":1},"title":"Rough-legged Hawk on a Designated Parking Sign","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"January 23, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Many of the birds here in the Salt Lake Valley find a place to roost in the evening and overnight frost begins to accumulate on their feathers like it did on this Rough-legged Hawk on a parking sign.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Rough-legged Hawk on a parking sign, Farmington Bay WMA, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/rough-legged-hawk-snow-fog-mia-mcpherson-4026.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/rough-legged-hawk-snow-fog-mia-mcpherson-4026.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/rough-legged-hawk-snow-fog-mia-mcpherson-4026.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/rough-legged-hawk-snow-fog-mia-mcpherson-4026.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3677,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2011\/11\/13\/rough-legged-hawks\/","url_meta":{"origin":12319,"position":2},"title":"Rough-legged Hawks","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"November 13, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"Eureka! The Rough-legged Hawks are back from their high subarctic and Arctic breeding grounds and they seem to be showing up in larger numbers than I have seen them since I moved to Utah.","rel":"","context":"In "Antelope Island State Park"","block_context":{"text":"Antelope Island State Park","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/antelope-island-state-park\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Rough-legged Hawk perched on a large Tintic Quartzite boulder, Antelope Island State Park, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/rough-legged-hawk-mia-mcpherson-7996.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/rough-legged-hawk-mia-mcpherson-7996.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/rough-legged-hawk-mia-mcpherson-7996.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/rough-legged-hawk-mia-mcpherson-7996.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":7542,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2013\/02\/17\/rough-legged-hawks-2\/","url_meta":{"origin":12319,"position":3},"title":"Rough-legged Hawks On The Wing","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"February 17, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"This year hasn't provided me with as many opportunities to photograph Rough-legged Hawks as last winter did and before long these raptors will be heading to the high Arctic to find mates on their breeding grounds.","rel":"","context":"In "Antelope Island State Park"","block_context":{"text":"Antelope Island State Park","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/antelope-island-state-park\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"High Key Rough-legged Hawk lift off from sign, Antelope Island State Park, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/rough-legged-hawk-high-key-mia-mcpherson-1661.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/rough-legged-hawk-high-key-mia-mcpherson-1661.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/rough-legged-hawk-high-key-mia-mcpherson-1661.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":4535,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2012\/02\/26\/rough-legged-hawks-is-it-time-to-say-goodbye\/","url_meta":{"origin":12319,"position":4},"title":"Rough-legged Hawks – Is It Time To Say Goodbye?","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"February 26, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"I have had such amazing experiences with Rough-legged Hawks this winter. I've captured them in flight, preening, eating, hovering, kiting, resting and so much more.","rel":"","context":"In "Antelope Island State Park"","block_context":{"text":"Antelope Island State Park","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/antelope-island-state-park\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Rough-legged Hawk with tail spread while preening, Antelope Island State Park, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/rough-legged-hawk-preening-mia-mcpherson-1544.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/rough-legged-hawk-preening-mia-mcpherson-1544.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/rough-legged-hawk-preening-mia-mcpherson-1544.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/rough-legged-hawk-preening-mia-mcpherson-1544.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":10162,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2013\/11\/05\/dorsal-view-of-a-rough-legged-hawk-in-flight\/","url_meta":{"origin":12319,"position":5},"title":"Dorsal View Of A Rough-legged Hawk In Flight","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"November 5, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"I woke up to a fine layer of snow on the ground this morning and silly as it may sound that gets me excited for the birds that over winter in the Salt Lake Valley such as this Rough-legged Hawk.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Dorsal view of a Rough-legged Hawk in flight, Antelope Island State Park, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/rough-legged-hawk-dorsal-view-mia-mcpherson-7244.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/rough-legged-hawk-dorsal-view-mia-mcpherson-7244.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/rough-legged-hawk-dorsal-view-mia-mcpherson-7244.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12319","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=12319"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12319\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/130334"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=12319"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=12319"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=12319"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}