Wildlife, landscape and weather photography
Quite a show from this beautiful raptor! As winter weather begins to take hold, more and more of these cool guys are arriving to the plains of Colorado. This one was hanging out on a fence post, keeping watch then took flight.
The image really showcases that beautiful, white, brown and gray plumage – and its impressive five foot wingspan. More often than not, you will actually find these hawks on the ground, staking out a prairie dog colony hoping to make a meal out of the unsuspecting rodents.
A nice way to cap off a decent photo excursion. My morning had gone pretty well with a good number of wildlife sightings but action was the one thing lacking. The critters had been out and about but just not too motivated to do anything.
Thankfully, this gorgeous raptor corrected that issue as my drive came to an end. It launched from a power pole and rather than departing the area, came right back and circled overhead five or six times. That afforded me some nice captures including this one as it flew right at me.
There is a reason these raptors are one of my favorite hawks and looks like this are why.
Their faces are quite unique, largely due to that mouth gape – what I call their “joker smile.” It is distinctive and certainly gives them some personality. Throw in the crazy cool, multi-colored plumage and the fact that they are the largest buteo in North America and they are just awesome.
I photograph them often here in Colorado, especially during the winter. This particular one is a captive bird, an educational ambassador for a great non-profit called Nature’s Educators.
There are a number of reasons these raptors are my favorite hawks, not the least of which is their coloring. That brilliant white plumage on their underside is just amazing. Throw in some gorgeous, blue Colorado skies and the #bird really pops.
This beautiful ferruginous was hanging out on a pole yesterday and I of course had to stop and snap some pics. It wasn’t too inclined to hang around but as it departed it gave me this nice shot.
The first of these of the season that I have seen and it was not inclined to put on a show.
Perhaps it was the cold coupled with the slight breeze that made the conditions comfortable, but this cool raptor wasn’t going to let any pesky humans bother it. From its perch atop a utility pole, it sat firm, watching the traffic go by and staying put.
Ferruginous hawks are one of my favorite hawks and the dark morph variety is somewhat rare and exceptionally beautiful. In flight, the underside of their wings are bright white making for a cool contrast from the dark brown of the rest of its plumage.
My favorite hawk and a capture of one that I really love. This is a captive raptor, one of the participants at the raptor photoshoot event I did last weekend.
I wasn’t particularly excited about seeing a ferruginous hawk there if only because I get pics of these guys often in the wild. They are common in northeastern Colorado, particularly during the winter.
But, the benefit of this event is it let me get far closer than what I can in the wild and the controlled environment gave me time to compose my shots and really try to nail them. Mission accomplished on this pic I believe.
Thank you to Nature’s Educators for the opportunity!
So this was an absolutely odd and fascinating scene – scroll down to view the complete sequence.
Two mule deer does were in a bit of a standoff with a ferruginous hawk. The deer tried to stomp the hawk but when they got close, the hawk jumped at one of the deer and seemed to bite its tail.
I suspect there may have been a fawn in the grass, out of sight, and the does were protecting it but I have never seen anything like this. View the album to see the entire sequence.
Taken at the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge.
I happened across this one one month ago today as it perched in a tree overlooking a prairie dog colony. No doubt breakfast was on its mind and it was simply waiting and choosing its target.
We see these here in Colorado most often during the winter. A few stay year-round but soon they will become much more scarce.
It certainly would appear I got the attention of this guy / gal. 😉
I happened across this gorgeous ferruginous hawk this past Sunday as it sat perched on a pole keeping watch. These guys are usually relatively tolerant of humans but this one was far more so than normal. I was able to get some great closeups showing those awesome facial features and beautiful plumage.
Ferruginous hawks are the largest buteos in North America and from a distance, their size and profile may have them mistaken for eagles. While they can be found here in Colorado year-round, they are most common during the winter months.
With temperatures in the single digits, it is pretty hard to get moving so I can sympathize with this cool raptor. 😉
Ferruginous hawks are my favorite hawks and the dark morphs, well, they are even more special due to their rarity. I have seen a few this season but this is the first one so far that cooperated with me for pictures.
It was quite lackadaisical about the guy with the camera, observing for a bit, then finally doing a stretch and heading off to hunt. Certainly I would have preferred a more natural perch but it was a fun pose and I will take what I can get.
