Red-tailed Hawk Encounter
I just have too many photos that I took Tuesday during what the local weathermen are calling "an inconvenient snow" (because it was only 2 inches that fell, but it hit during rush hour snarling traffic in the worst way). The first was the snowy owl and then I headed over to the Minnesota Valley NWR Visitor Center. I figured the feeders would be active between the snow and the sub zero temps.
They were so active, I have to divide up what I saw, otherwise we might get 45 photos in one blog entry.
One of the coolest things that happened was as I was leaving the visitor center. A young red-tailed hawk (young because the tail is brown and stripey, not brick red like it would be on an adult) was perched on the parking lot security camera. I wanted to get home because it was after 3pm and I knew with the snow, traffic would be snarled. I took a few shots and walked to my car.
I tried not to stare at the hawk while I walked to my car. Staring can make a bird nervous and this one seemed to be actively hunting and I didn't want to add to its effort in the cold and snow. It paid very little attention to me and I digiscoped one more image before my aching, freezing fingers alerted me that they had had enough. I opened my car door and turn to load in my scope when I heard what I can only describe as hawk wings hitting something (I hear it from time to time at The Raptor Center and at the hawk blind). I looked up and saw that the red-tail was no longer on the camera post and at first thought that it had flown away, but that would not account for the sound I heard. Then I looked to my left and just a few yards away in the grass I saw...
The hawk with some sort of prey, I think it's a mouse! Fortunately, my scope was still up, I quickly slid the camera adaptor back on the scope (thank goodness for that DCA adaptor) and got the above photo. My camera batteries finally died right after I took it but I watched the hawk swallow the rodent whole and then it took off.
It took a good five minutes before feeling returned to my fingers and I got stuck in traffic, but it was so worth it to see that!
They were so active, I have to divide up what I saw, otherwise we might get 45 photos in one blog entry.
One of the coolest things that happened was as I was leaving the visitor center. A young red-tailed hawk (young because the tail is brown and stripey, not brick red like it would be on an adult) was perched on the parking lot security camera. I wanted to get home because it was after 3pm and I knew with the snow, traffic would be snarled. I took a few shots and walked to my car.
I tried not to stare at the hawk while I walked to my car. Staring can make a bird nervous and this one seemed to be actively hunting and I didn't want to add to its effort in the cold and snow. It paid very little attention to me and I digiscoped one more image before my aching, freezing fingers alerted me that they had had enough. I opened my car door and turn to load in my scope when I heard what I can only describe as hawk wings hitting something (I hear it from time to time at The Raptor Center and at the hawk blind). I looked up and saw that the red-tail was no longer on the camera post and at first thought that it had flown away, but that would not account for the sound I heard. Then I looked to my left and just a few yards away in the grass I saw...
The hawk with some sort of prey, I think it's a mouse! Fortunately, my scope was still up, I quickly slid the camera adaptor back on the scope (thank goodness for that DCA adaptor) and got the above photo. My camera batteries finally died right after I took it but I watched the hawk swallow the rodent whole and then it took off.It took a good five minutes before feeling returned to my fingers and I got stuck in traffic, but it was so worth it to see that!
Labels: digiscoping, hawks, Minnesota Vally NWR
posted by birdchick at 10:15 PM
7 Comments:
Right place- right time!
Cool pictures.
Awesome pictures of a red-tail! We got about 5 inches Tuesday, started right before rush hour. It took me 3 hours to make a trip that normally takes about 45 minutes.
That's great, the Hawk looks like it was looking into the security camera. You took some fun photos.
Fine captures of a Red-tailed! I've never captured a shot of this hawk,yet, but recently I had a luck to get a shot of a Red-shouldered perching on a tree. Both the bird and I stared each other but the bird posed for me for good 5 minutes or so.
Cool!
Gorgeous!
Which reminds me that I must go back and look at your snowy owl post once more.
(you might get this twice, I got a weird error message first time)
Cool! Once while I was driving I saw a hawk that I thought was injured hobbling from the road. I turned my car around to see if it was okay, and saw that it had just caught a squirrel! It was pretty impressive.
Post a Comment
<< Home