{"id":61557,"date":"2019-11-20T06:09:04","date_gmt":"2019-11-20T13:09:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=61557"},"modified":"2026-01-23T13:40:52","modified_gmt":"2026-01-23T19:40:52","slug":"one-striking-immature-red-tailed-hawk-that-wowed-me","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2019\/11\/20\/one-striking-immature-red-tailed-hawk-that-wowed-me\/","title":{"rendered":"One Striking Immature Harlan’s Red-tailed Hawk That “Wowed” Me"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"ImmatureImmature Harlan’s Red-tailed Hawk with pronounced polka dot spots \u2013 Nikon D500, f6.3, 1\/80, ISO 1600, +1.0 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light, not baited<\/span><\/p>\n

Two days ago I spotted and pointed out a form in a Russian olive tree on my way into Farmington Bay WMA<\/span><\/a>. It was before dawn, the light was low and at first I couldn’t tell if the bird I saw was an owl or a hawk but as soon as I got close enough I could tell that it was a hawk.<\/p>\n

It wasn’t until I saw the raptor through my viewfinder that I could tell that it was an immature Red-tailed Hawk that was sporting bright white spots on its back and that is when I said “wow” out loud.<\/p>\n

I struggled to get sharp photos of it because the light was so low even after I increased my ISO to 1600 because my shutter speed was still so slow. Even the slightest movement at 1\/80th of second means a blurry shot. This was the best shot of the images I took and it isn’t great.<\/p>\n

This immature Harlan’s Red-tailed Hawk is striking with those white polka dot spots on its back, I don’t think I have ever seen a young Red-tail where the white spots on the scapulars are so pronounced.<\/p>\n

I really, really hope this gorgeous, young Red-tailed Hawk<\/span><\/a> sticks around Farmington Bay WMA so that I might have more opportunities to photograph it in better light. There are clouds here today with some rain & snow falling in the area so there isn’t great light this morning but I am going to look for this hawk again as soon as I can.<\/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

My thanks to Jerry Liguori for confirming this is a Harlan’s. <\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

This immature Harlan’s Red-tailed Hawk is striking with those white polka dot spots on its back, I don’t think I have ever seen a young Red-tail where the white spots on the scapulars are so pronounced.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":167459,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[27,1022,697,2086,449,26],"tags":[2663,4170,2497,8111,4169,2386,4067,156,4104,4234,153,4209,5577,2051],"class_list":["post-61557","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-avian","category-davis-county-utah","category-farmington-bay-wma","category-harlans-hawk","category-red-tailed-hawks","category-utah","tag-birds-of-prey","tag-buteo-jamaicensis","tag-buteos","tag-harlans-red-tailed-hawk","tag-hawks","tag-hawks-of-utah","tag-immature","tag-low-light-2","tag-perched","tag-pre-dawn-light","tag-raptors","tag-red-tailed-hawk","tag-russian-olive","tag-striking"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/red-tailed-hawk-polka-dot-backside-mia-mcpherson-3709.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-g0R","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":7227,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2013\/01\/23\/harlans-hawk-juvenile-with-an-american-coot-graphic\/","url_meta":{"origin":61557,"position":0},"title":"Harlan’s 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