This gorgeous raptor was in a field right next to the road yesterday. At first, I assumed it had a kill it was guarding as it was surprisingly reluctant to leave when I stopped.

Instead, it turns out it simply wanted to grab a stick to add to its nest. Interestingly enough, it flew not far away and added it to a nest on a power pole.  Few hawks choose power poles for nests, instead preferring trees, and I have never seen a Swainson in a man-made spot.

These beautiful raptors are found across the American West during the summer months. They arrive in such numbers that they become almost more common than the ubiquitous Red Tailed Hawk. It is here that they will mate and have young before heading south to Argentina for the winter.

Last week I posted a picture of one of these cool raptors from last year saying that I expected to see them soon this season on the Colorado plains. That turned out to be true as yesterday I came across this gorgeous dark morph Swainson’s Hawk.

It was perched on a utility pole and judging from the size of its crop, it had just eaten. As such, it was in no rush to move and allowed me to get some close ups of it. I reckon too after its ridiculously long migration from Argentina, it was just looking to rest up and take a break. 😉

One of my favorite seasonal visitors. I had hoped to spot the first of the season this past weekend but had no such luck. However, it won’t be long till I see them. This particular one is one I captured an image of last spring.

These beautiful raptors are found across the American West during the summer months. They arrive in such numbers that they become almost more common than the ubiquitous Red Tailed Hawk. It is here that they will mate and have young before heading south to Argentina for the winter, one of the longest migrations of any raptor.

Having just finished its meal, this Swainson’s Hawk is ready to fly. I was too late to catch the eating action and had to settle for this shot. You can see it is wearing some of the leftovers on its beak. Probably needs to use a napkin next time. 😉

Neck rubs are good but also convenient when you can do it yourself. 😉

This Swainson’s Hawk was displaying its flexibility and the perks that it brings as it pulled its head back against its shoulders and gave itself a bit of a massage. Given what almost appears to be a smile on its face, it appears to enjoy it.

The hawk and its mate were hanging out on a very gloomy day last week and both spent an inordinate amount of time preening themselves. I waited for 20 minutes figuring they would do something different but they never did. Clearly they are two of the cleanest raptors on the Great Plains.