{"id":16326,"date":"2014-10-30T04:55:36","date_gmt":"2014-10-30T10:55:36","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=16326"},"modified":"2026-01-15T13:52:27","modified_gmt":"2026-01-15T19:52:27","slug":"red-tailed-hawk-lifting-off","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2014\/10\/30\/red-tailed-hawk-lifting-off\/","title":{"rendered":"Red-tailed Hawk Lifting Off"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Red-tailedRed-tailed Hawk lifting off at Farmington Bay – Nikon D810, f7.1, 1\/2000, ISO 640, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light, not baited
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

Lately it has been wonderful to see and photograph more birds including raptors.<\/p>\n

I think the long dry spell that started the end of July might be over finally. The number of Harriers and Red-tailed Hawks is increasing at Farmington Bay WMA.<\/p>\n

I suspect it won’t be long before I see the first Bald Eagle sitting on the bleached out bones of what we locals call the “Eagle Tree”.<\/p>\n

This dark Red-tailed Hawk has been hanging around Goose Egg Island the past couple of times I have been able to get out shooting and she is definitely a beauty.<\/p>\n

I wish the out of focus grasses at the bottom of the frame weren’t there but I was delighted to get this lift off shot that shows the wonderful and striking pattern under the wings.<\/p>\n

I have been thoroughly enjoying my Nikon D810, it focuses very quickly and produces lovely images.<\/p>\n

This image was taken in\u00a0 FX mode (full frame) because I was too close to use DX (cropped) mode and I did not have time to take my teleconverter off and I can quickly switch from DX to FX.<\/p>\n

With any luck I will have many more opportunities to photograph this Red-tailed Hawk<\/span><\/a> throughout the winter.<\/p>\n

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

Mia<\/p>\n

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

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.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":166890,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_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":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[27,697,150,449,26],"tags":[4004,970,2663,4170,2497,3981,4620,4033,4169,2386,6583,4282,4094,4069,153,4209,4427,1164,4095],"class_list":["post-16326","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-avian","category-farmington-bay-wma","category-diurnal-raptors","category-red-tailed-hawks","category-utah","tag-adult","tag-autumn","tag-birds-of-prey","tag-buteo-jamaicensis","tag-buteos","tag-davis-county","tag-fall","tag-hawk","tag-hawks","tag-hawks-of-utah","tag-leaves","tag-lift-off","tag-marsh","tag-mountains","tag-raptors","tag-red-tailed-hawk","tag-tree","tag-wasatch-mountain-range","tag-wetlands"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/red-tailed-hawk-lift-off-mia-mcpherson-4034.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-4fk","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":108353,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2022\/11\/28\/immature-red-tailed-hawk-head-on-stare\/","url_meta":{"origin":16326,"position":0},"title":"Immature Red-tailed Hawk Head On Stare","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"November 28, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"If I were a vole, I'd tremble in fear under the head on stare of this immature Red-tailed Hawk that I photographed last week at Farmington Bay WMA.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Immature Red-tailed Hawk head on stare, Farmington Bay WMA, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/red-tailed-hawk-immature-mia-mcpherson-4805.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/red-tailed-hawk-immature-mia-mcpherson-4805.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, 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the Wasatch Mountains, Farmington Bay WMA, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/red-tailed-hawk-adult-fall-mountains-mia-mcpherson-3657.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/red-tailed-hawk-adult-fall-mountains-mia-mcpherson-3657.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/red-tailed-hawk-adult-fall-mountains-mia-mcpherson-3657.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/red-tailed-hawk-adult-fall-mountains-mia-mcpherson-3657.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 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McPherson","date":"November 16, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"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.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Red-tailed Hawk adult after lifting off from a Russian Olive Tree, Farmington Bay WMA, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/red-tailed-hawk-adult-flying-mia-mcpherson-2921.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/red-tailed-hawk-adult-flying-mia-mcpherson-2921.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, 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McPherson","date":"December 26, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Much to my delight I was able to photograph some birds on Christmas Day at Farmington Bay WMA yesterday morning.","rel":"","context":"In "American Kestrels"","block_context":{"text":"American Kestrels","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/falcons\/american-kestrel\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Adult male American Kestrel on a wooden post, Farmington Bay WMA, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/american-kestrel-male-post-mia-mcpherson-3511.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/american-kestrel-male-post-mia-mcpherson-3511.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, 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