{"id":34334,"date":"2015-12-21T06:14:09","date_gmt":"2015-12-21T13:14:09","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=34334"},"modified":"2025-09-30T16:58:40","modified_gmt":"2025-09-30T21:58:40","slug":"a-rough-legged-hawk-perched-on-a-stump","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2015\/12\/21\/a-rough-legged-hawk-perched-on-a-stump\/","title":{"rendered":"Rough-legged Hawk Perched On A Stump"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"MaleMale Rough-legged Hawk looking down at the marsh \u2013 Nikon D810, f9, 1\/400, ISO 250, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light, not baited<\/span><\/p>\n

I still haven’t had many opportunities with Rough-legged Hawks this year but I am hoping that the snow that we are having will bring them into the areas where I find and photograph them here in Utah.<\/p>\n

The first great opportunity I had with them this year was this male Rough-legged Hawk perched on a stump at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge in Box Elder County and so far… it has been my best opportunity.<\/p>\n

\"Rough-leggedRough-legged Hawk male giving me an over the shoulder look \u2013 Nikon D810, f9, 1\/320, ISO 250, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light, not baited<\/span><\/p>\n

I have been back to Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge<\/span><\/a> several times since I photographed this handsome hawk and each time I go I look for him to be perched in the same spot.<\/p>\n

It is simply wishful thinking on my part I am sure but you just never know. I probably should head back up there soon just to check it out.<\/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":"

The first great opportunity I had with them this year was this male Rough-legged Hawk perched on a stump at Bear River National Wildlife Refuge in Box Elder County. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":158640,"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":[124,27,1148,1087,26],"tags":[4004,970,4529,2663,4275,4620,368,4033,4169,2670,4062,4094,4104,153,1648,5113,4095],"class_list":["post-34334","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-bear-river-migratory-bird-refuge","category-avian","category-box-elder-county-utah","category-rough-legged-hawks","category-utah","tag-adult","tag-autumn","tag-bear-river","tag-birds-of-prey","tag-buteo-lagopus","tag-fall","tag-frosty","tag-hawk","tag-hawks","tag-light-morph","tag-male","tag-marsh","tag-perched","tag-raptors","tag-rough-legged-hawk","tag-stump","tag-wetlands"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/rough-legged-hawk-male-mia-mcpherson-8124.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-8VM","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":75556,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2020\/11\/27\/focusing-on-adult-male-rough-legged-hawks\/","url_meta":{"origin":34334,"position":0},"title":"Focusing On Adult Male Rough-legged Hawks","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"November 27, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Ten days ago I found and photographed this adult male Rough-legged Hawk as it perched on a Russian Olive tree at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge when I was heading home.","rel":"","context":"In "Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge"","block_context":{"text":"Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/bear-river-migratory-bird-refuge\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Adult male Rough-legged Hawk perched in a Russian Olive tree, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/rough-legged-hawk-adult-male-light-morph-mia-mcpherson-4908.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/rough-legged-hawk-adult-male-light-morph-mia-mcpherson-4908.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/rough-legged-hawk-adult-male-light-morph-mia-mcpherson-4908.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/rough-legged-hawk-adult-male-light-morph-mia-mcpherson-4908.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":32058,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2015\/11\/09\/a-male-rough-legged-hawk-in-the-marsh-next-to-the-bear-river\/","url_meta":{"origin":34334,"position":1},"title":"Male Rough-legged Hawk 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I spotted my first of season Rough-legged Hawks on the wing last Friday.","rel":"","context":"In "Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge"","block_context":{"text":"Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/bear-river-migratory-bird-refuge\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Male light morph Rough-legged Hawk on a February morning, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/rough-legged-hawk-adult-male-info-sign-mia-mcpherson-9795.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/rough-legged-hawk-adult-male-info-sign-mia-mcpherson-9795.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, 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