Red-tailed Hawks (Buteo jamaicensis) are the most common hawks in North America, but I rarely see one. Most of the hawks that I photograph in my home area of Northern Virginia are Red-shouldered Hawks.
I was delighted on Monday when I spotted a perched hawk through the vegetation at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge. The hawk was perched in a small tree just above eye level. I had to work to find a visual tunnel that let me get a relatively unobstructed view of the beautiful hawk, as you can see in the first photo.
Before long, the hawk detected my presence and took to the air. I reacted quickly and was able to capture some shots of the bird as it flew away. I really like the way that the second and third shots show the markings on the underside of the hawk that I think is a juvenile.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Beautiful shots. I love the photo of the hawk with wings outspread as it really shows the shape and the patterns of the feathers. A red-tailed hawk nests in one of the trees in my back yard so I see it regularly as it swoops down to grab a squirrel.
Thanks, Laura. I hear hawks calling out quite regularly when I am at this wildlife refuge, but rarely see one hunting (so no squirrels for me to see in the clutches of a hawk).
Oh boy did I ever enjoy these RTH photos, Mike. I like how you captured the light coming through the feathers. I agree on the juvenile status due to the absence of red tail feathers. Happy Thanksgiving to you, Mike…I’m glad you’re out and about and taking photos again, feeling better.
Thanks, Jet. I was initially confused about the ID for this hawks, because it was missing the red tail. However, the belly band helped to push me toward the correct ID. I am in fact feeling much better, though I do seem to be tiring a bit more quickly than normally. Happy Thanksgiving.
Pretty bird. Nice capture!
Thanks.
We’ll done, Mike. Beautiful markings as you captured the hawk in flight.
Thanks, Chris. I took a pretty good number of shots of the hawk as it flew by me. It is amazing how many of the shots had the details of the body and/or the head lost in the shadows or out of focus. Birds in flight are a fun challenge.