{"id":3807,"date":"2011-12-09T17:12:27","date_gmt":"2011-12-10T00:12:27","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=3807"},"modified":"2025-09-29T12:41:03","modified_gmt":"2025-09-29T17:41:03","slug":"friday-photos-yes-another-rough-legged-hawk","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2011\/12\/09\/friday-photos-yes-another-rough-legged-hawk\/","title":{"rendered":"Friday Photos – Yes, Another Rough-legged Hawk"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Rough-leggedRough-legged Hawk perched on mere twigs – Nikon D300, f6.3, 1\/2000, ISO 500, +0.3 EV, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 400mm, natural light, not baited<\/span><\/p>\n

Yesterday I had an opportunity to photograph this Rough-legged Hawk from a higher vantage point than I am used to when photographing this species. I was on a road that was higher than the shrub that the hawk was perched on.<\/p>\n

For a few minutes the hawk was calmly looking around the area, I could tell that it was searching for prey because it kept looking around on the ground.<\/p>\n

\"Rough-legged\u00a0Rough-legged Hawk with wings up –\u00a0 Nikon D300, f6.3, 1\/1600, ISO 500, +0.3 EV, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 400mm, natural light, not baited<\/span><\/p>\n

By observing this bird’s behavior I was able to anticipate when it would lift off.<\/p>\n

One of the first indications that the Rough-legged Hawk was getting ready to take off is that it defecated,\u00a0which raptors often do prior to taking to the air.<\/p>\n

At that point I started to get ready for the hawk to take flight by checking my shutter speed, my exposure compensation, and my depth of field.<\/p>\n

I could tell the hawk was focused on something on the hillside below where I was when I saw the bird’s wings start to raise.<\/p>\n

\"Rough-leggedRough-legged Hawk with an eye on prey – Nikon D300, f6.3, 1\/2000, ISO 500, +0.3 EV, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 400mm, natural light, not baited<\/span><\/p>\n

The hawk’s eyes were locked on its possible prey as it lifted off from its perch, I was fortunate that the prey was somewhere below me and I was able to maintain eye contact from the bird.<\/p>\n

\"Rough-legged Rough-legged Hawk spread eagle –\u00a0Nikon D300, f6.3, 1\/1600, +0.3 EV, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 400mm, natural light, not baited<\/span><\/p>\n

The hawk continued to keep its eyes on the prey. I like how the “rough legs” are very visible in this photo.<\/p>\n

\"Rough-leggedRough-legged Hawk in flight near the Antelope Island Marina –\u00a0 Nikon D300, f6.3, 1\/1600, ISO 500, +0.3 EV, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 400mm, natural light, not baited<\/span><\/p>\n

By the time I took this image the Rough-legged Hawk was fully in flight. It dipped a bit lower in altitude after this frame and I temporarily lost focus.<\/p>\n

\"Rough-leggedRough-legged Hawk fly by –\u00a0Nikon D300, f6.3, 1\/2000, ISO 500, +0.3 EV, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 400mm, natural light, not baited<\/span><\/p>\n

The Rough-legged Hawk must have lost sight of its intended prey when I lost focus because in the next few frames the hawk was no longer looking in the same direction it had been in my previous photos and it turned towards my left and continued to fly in the direction until I lost sight of the hawk.<\/p>\n

I can relate to the hawk in a way, just like it doesn’t always get the prey it is intent on, I don’t always get the shots I want.<\/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":"

I can relate to the hawk in a way, just like it doesn’t always get the prey it is intent on, I don’t always get the shots I want.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":158513,"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":[511,27,1022,1087,26],"tags":[2663,4275,2497,11978,4052,4122,4169,4067,4282,2670,153,1648,4193],"class_list":["post-3807","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-antelope-island-state-park","category-avian","category-davis-county-utah","category-rough-legged-hawks","category-utah","tag-birds-of-prey","tag-buteo-lagopus","tag-buteos","tag-desert-island","tag-flight","tag-flying","tag-hawks","tag-immature","tag-lift-off","tag-light-morph","tag-raptors","tag-rough-legged-hawk","tag-young"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/rough-legged-hawk-flyby-mia-mcpherson-5802.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-Zp","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":120091,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2024\/01\/24\/rough-legged-hawk-on-a-no-swimming-sign\/","url_meta":{"origin":3807,"position":0},"title":"Rough-legged Hawk On A No Swimming Sign","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"January 24, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"While looking for a photo to share this morning I found this immature Rough-legged Hawk on a No Swimming Sign with the snowy Wasatch Mountains in the background.","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 on a No Swimming sign on the causeway to Antelope Island, Antelope Island State Park, Davis County, 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2011","format":false,"excerpt":"I have been very pleased to add so many images of Rough-legged Hawks to my portfolio in just the past week and hopefully these Roughies will stick around until late February of next year so there will be many more opportunities.","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 in flight with the Stansbury Mountains in the background, West Desert, Tooele County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/rough-legged-hawk-stansbury-mountains-mia-mcpherson-0201.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-stansbury-mountains-mia-mcpherson-0201.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 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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":61051,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2019\/10\/28\/searching-for-rough-legged-hawks\/","url_meta":{"origin":3807,"position":3},"title":"Searching For Rough-legged Hawks","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"October 28, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"It is currently the time of the year when I start looking for Rough-legged Hawks in northern Utah, the temps have dipped below freezing, there has been frost on the ground and now we've had our first snow.","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 parking sign, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/rough-legged-hawk-parking-sign-mia-mcpherson-9707.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/rough-legged-hawk-parking-sign-mia-mcpherson-9707.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, 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https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/rough-legged-hawk-immature-tumbleweed-mia-mcpherson-4666.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":3807,"position":5},"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":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3807","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=3807"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3807\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/158513"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3807"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3807"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3807"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}