After returning from another exciting winter raptor survey in the Pierre area, I didn’t know what to expect during a balmy 50-degree sunny afternoon birding drive in my home turf, but expected hawks and owls would be a possibility. I pointed my car south, where I know the landscape pretty intimately – every tree grove, marsh, prairie hill, and all the rest of the features for a half-mile beyond the roads. At the 2-mile point I noticed a “dark object” on a stump nearer the opposite side a frozen lake that I figured I better check with binoculars. It was a bird, and in a flash I could see it was a male Rough-legged Hawk, and the really exciting thing about this hawk was that it flew in my direction after finishing its meal, and even stopped to perched at the top of a young cottonwood tree not far from the road – marvelous!
I slowly, carefully backed my mobile blind into a position that I figured was a safe distance for the Arctic hawk and for me and began taking beautiful photos in the primetime sunlight. The hawk was immediately in search mode and after a minute or so it flew north about 75 feet, hovered, and dived to a position in the low grass. It hesitated on the ground, although it was pretty clear it missed its chance; and when it took flight I was already focused on the raptor as it winged toward me again! In fact, it was approaching the top of the closest tree and I was more than ready to photograph its approach and its landing. It all progressed in classic fashion with the hawk flashing its fully spread wings and tail into the sunlight – WoW!
I continued taking a flurry of photos during what became an extended balancing act as the hawk seemed to miscalculate the stability of the very limber young branch. Reaching its feet forward to grasp the end of the branch, the moment and weight of the bird gave created something of a wild ride, and instead of opting for another branch, it hung on and tried to balance using its long wings and tail, eventually repositioning its feet lower on the branch where it was able to uncomfortably fold its wings and reach a steady position perched at the treetop. I continued to take photographs throughout the dramatic action as it unfolded and knew I had filed a great series of photographs – I was thrilled to the max!
This was my kind of bird, and I took full advantage of the chance to photograph it in clear view as it settled in and began searching the area for movement in the grass below. While I took some pleasing images of the hawk at ease, I was also poised for the Rough-leg’s next move. In time, it bent forward and leaped into flight again, only to turn broadside before me as I snapped a couple quick exit photos – one of which turned out to be pretty impressive. Almost immediately the hawk went into strike mode and glided, then alighted on the opposite side of the road – very close!
Gosh, this bird couldn’t get close enough it seemed – ha-ha. Apparently that strike was another miss, and from 15 feet away the Rough-leg raised upward to begin hovering nearby – how could I better orchestrate this raptor’s actions? Now it was back in action mode, and I did what I could to get an ultimate hovering photo of the male.
What’s next? Well, it quickly answered that question as it dived down into short grass in a hunting strike that proved fruitful, allowing me to document that action too, including the hawk standing on the rodent with its wings raised in a fashion quite typical of a catch or near catch. It picked the small vole up in its beak and flew across the adjacent ice to feed in the midst of the lake, then fly to perch near the top of a distant lakeside tree, giving me reason to resume my drive. Still excited, I made it to the 7-mile prairie, which appeared very empty; and at that point I decided to reverse course to check on the Rough-legged Hawk, which seemed like more of a sure thing that I should take advantage of – perhaps by then it may have repositioned closer to the road.
My initial binocular view of the area showed the hawk had repositioned, but there was no hint of where it was now. I continued driving north and almost at the 1-mile mark a smallish hawk was perched on a low post next to the road – hmm – perhaps a harrier? Through binoculars I could see it was the male Rough-legged Hawk, but it was on the shaded side of the road. Patience would persevere, and not long thereafter, the hawk crossed the road and perched to resume its hunt.
That’s when I found myself on the edge of a hawk-and-mouse game – literally. The hawk was clearly hunting the short grass along the roadside, and it proved to be the most trusting raptor I’ve encountered so close to home (just 1 mile!). Time and time again, the hawk would make hunting strikes that began at a post and ended on the ground even closer to me, often directly between the post and my mobile blind. More than once this hawk made a strike within 20 feet of my car, providing a variety of action photo ops. Honestly, one time I thought the hawk might fly in my open window, but instead it flew almost within reach as it passed by to another perch.
That’s also when I began to realize this appeared to be a second male Rough-legged Hawk. I recalled that during the initial photo session the hawk’s dark markings on its neck and upper breast weren’t symmetrical; but this bird had perfectly symmetrical markings, and it seemed to have a more colorful breast with lighter-colored gray back plumage. The initial hint was that this hawk seemed smaller, but this bird was every bit as trusting and accommodating as the first for this eager birder.
When the hawk caught yet another rodent and flew to an open area across the road, I took the time to drive south a half-mile, and there was a second Rough-leg – the first one actually – perched in almost the same position in the same small tree on the frozen lakeshore where I left it almost an hour earlier. Gosh was I happy to have doubled back to find and photograph the second Arctic hawk, and it made me appreciate some other things about bird photography that I want to share with you: Bird photography isn’t always about the technical side of the camera and lens, or seeing how many birds you can find and photograph during a given outing.
Bird photography can clearly be more about spending time with a given bird, or birds, that permit you to watch their behavior unabated and unconcerned in such a way that you can learn new insights about the species. It also provides a more pronounced and meaningful story to tell, even beyond the photographs. Birds can make you feel better, calm your spirit, or excite it, and reward you with renewed interest in doing it again tomorrow, and the next day. That said, I was absolutely elated to see the resulting photographs! I share my favorites with you here and wish you Good Luck as you enjoy birding with your camera and lens!
Article and Photographs by Paul Konrad
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