Tuesday, January 27, 2015

Rough-legged Hawk

 Rough-legged Hawk  (Buteo lagopus)

My husband and I had heard there were Rough-legged Hawks in the area but we hadn't seen any...until we headed home from a photo shoot a little north of where we live. Truth be told, I passed this hawk and then turned around! From a distance I thought it was a red-tailed hawk.  But as I passed it I knew I had been WRONG.

Head turned 180°

He/she let me take a few photos and them flew off to a tree where it's mate was sitting. So there were actually TWO of them, but they were way too far off to take another photo. They are visiting from The Arctic.

Can you believe this bird can turn it's head around 180°?

I am connecting to Stewart M's Wild Bird Wednesday HERE
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60 comments:

  1. Stewart MJanuary 27, 2015 at 4:33 AM

    Thats a great couple of shots - I love the love the whole colour tone of the pictures.

    Cheers - Stewart M - Melbourne

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  2. Margaret Birding For PleasureJanuary 27, 2015 at 4:38 AM

    great sighting and image.

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  3. RevrunnerJanuary 27, 2015 at 5:36 AM

    The better to see you with my dear. :-)

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  4. AndyJanuary 27, 2015 at 5:53 AM

    This comment has been removed by the author.

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  5. AndyJanuary 27, 2015 at 5:55 AM

    I got a red tail hawk hanging around my bird feeder. I guess if you are hungry you gotta eat.
    PS: Is time to put a super zoom lens on your shopping list?
    ( ♥_♥ )

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  6. BasiaWJanuary 27, 2015 at 6:13 AM

    Nice photos:-)

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  7. AnvilcloudJanuary 27, 2015 at 6:33 AM

    Oooh ... very nicely shot. I also like the church steeple, below.

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  8. eileeninmdJanuary 27, 2015 at 6:50 AM

    It is a beautiful looking hawk! That head turn thing is creepy.. Great photos. Happy Tuesday!

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  9. MichelleJanuary 27, 2015 at 7:26 AM

    Nice!

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  10. Pamela GordonJanuary 27, 2015 at 7:28 AM

    Really great photos!

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  11. Bethany CarsonJanuary 27, 2015 at 8:02 AM

    That's something I can't do! Nice shots!

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  12. DarlaJanuary 27, 2015 at 8:19 AM

    Great photos, so much detail. I'll bet you were excited to spot this bird.

    Darla

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  13. PerthDailyPhotoJanuary 27, 2015 at 8:20 AM

    It almost looks like his head is on backwards Tina :) Fantastic shots, nice work!

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  14. William KendallJanuary 27, 2015 at 8:31 AM

    Quite a handsome bird!

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  15. DonnaJanuary 27, 2015 at 8:32 AM

    I adore hawks and this is one reason why...the way they can move...

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  16. The CrankyJanuary 27, 2015 at 8:55 AM

    The colours are fantastic, and you've caught him so beautifully!

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  17. MadSnapperJanuary 27, 2015 at 8:58 AM

    i think this might be the prettiest of hawks that I have seen. he is a beauty and i see why they named him rough legs.. the colors in the background make a perfect shot of him. that is some trick with the head turning

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  18. 21 WitsJanuary 27, 2015 at 9:17 AM

    How priceless! I would surely have one of these photos hanging on a wall in my house. Possibly even the one where he's looking back, as if greeting, somewhere that folks would always catch it!

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  19. RoseJanuary 27, 2015 at 9:20 AM

    Wouldn't you love to be able to turn your head with that ease??? I have trouble with turning 90 degrees part of the time!

    Excellent captures....I do not know the type of hawk I am seeing other than the Northern Harriers. Or maybe a kestrel.

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  20. JoAnn ( Scene Through My Eyes)January 27, 2015 at 9:22 AM

    Beautiful shots. I can rarely turn around and go back for a shot of a hawk and still have it there.

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  21. The Furry GnomeJanuary 27, 2015 at 9:33 AM

    Spectacular pictures Tina!

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  22. Mary HoneJanuary 27, 2015 at 10:13 AM

    He's is gorgeous. Nothing wrong with turning around, we do it a lot.

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  23. TexWisGirlJanuary 27, 2015 at 10:17 AM

    beautiful shots!

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  24. John @ Beans and I on the LooseJanuary 27, 2015 at 10:27 AM

    What a great find. Wonderful pictures.

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  25. Linda W.January 27, 2015 at 10:37 AM

    Nice photos of the hawk! How cool to see one.

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  26. HalcyonJanuary 27, 2015 at 11:13 AM

    Majestic!

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  27. CloudiaJanuary 27, 2015 at 11:20 AM

    you really show the awe




    ALOHA from Honolulu
    ComfortSpiral
    <3

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  28. Sylvia KJanuary 27, 2015 at 11:36 AM

    I love your shots for the day -- as always, Tina!! You always capture such incredible detail!! The hawk is beautiful -- wish I could turn my head around that far!!

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  29. IndraniJanuary 27, 2015 at 12:13 PM

    Wow! Excellent focus!

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  30. HilaryJanuary 27, 2015 at 12:56 PM

    Very cool.. and well captured in perfect light. Where there's two, there might just be a family about to happen.

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  31. StephanieJanuary 27, 2015 at 1:28 PM

    Wow, amazing shots, Tina!

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  32. RedPatJanuary 27, 2015 at 1:43 PM

    I have to get my bird book out to see the difference, EG! Great shots.
    Glad you found the article about the murals.

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  33. VPJanuary 27, 2015 at 2:34 PM

    Excellent portraits: the second one is almost scary!

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  34. BreathtakingJanuary 27, 2015 at 2:54 PM

    An exciting find, and lovely images.

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  35. Buttons ThoughtsJanuary 27, 2015 at 3:47 PM

    I would be visiting from the Arctic too a friend of mine says it is -63c where she lives. Yikes. Great shots. Hug B

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  36. MalyssJanuary 27, 2015 at 4:10 PM

    Very beautiful pictures !I like those birds, they seem to be so proud .

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  37. MariJanuary 27, 2015 at 4:11 PM

    Wow 180 degrees headturn. Impressive. You got them a really nice shot.

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  38. jp@A Green RidgeJanuary 27, 2015 at 4:47 PM

    Super pictures!!!!...:)JP

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  39. mickJanuary 27, 2015 at 5:04 PM

    Great photos of the hawk - how lucky that you turned around for a second look!

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  40. RohrerbotJanuary 27, 2015 at 5:37 PM

    Congrats on the picture! This is one I have yet to find in the wild. Pretty awesome hawks. Because hawks are awesome:)

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  41. Ginny HartzlerJanuary 27, 2015 at 5:44 PM

    Wonderful, wonderful portraits!!! I Cannot believe the head!! I thought only owls could do that, why did we not know?

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  42. Lovable DerekJanuary 27, 2015 at 7:35 PM

    You've captured some excellent photos here. Great!

    Some of my neighbours can do that 180 degree thing - there's no keeping any secrets from them....

    Have a nice day.

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  43. CarverJanuary 27, 2015 at 7:47 PM

    Great shots of the hawk.

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  44. LoisJanuary 27, 2015 at 8:42 PM

    Fabulous shots of a gorgeous bird!

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  45. JennyJanuary 27, 2015 at 8:46 PM

    Very handsome bird. Looks well-equipped for the cold weather with lots of feathers. So glad you spotted him(her).

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  46. JackJanuary 27, 2015 at 8:57 PM

    For serious birders, this must have been a big moment.

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  47. RandyJanuary 27, 2015 at 9:09 PM

    I wish I could turn my head that way. That might get rid of the pain in my neck. Nice close ups.

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  48. Grandma Barb's This and ThatJanuary 27, 2015 at 9:40 PM

    Great shots! I love how he's looking over his back at you.

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  49. Yogi♪♪♪January 27, 2015 at 9:50 PM


    Great eye, and incredible twist of the neck.

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  50. Ruth HiebertJanuary 27, 2015 at 10:22 PM

    Great shots. This is a beautiful hawk.

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  51. BumbleVeeJanuary 28, 2015 at 12:53 AM

    It's looking directly at you..... wow... what a shot....

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  52. John "By Stargoose And Hanglands"January 28, 2015 at 1:54 AM

    Two really excellent shots. As someone who woke up with a stiff neck this morning I'm very jealous of that hawk's ability to swivel his head!

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  53. KathyJanuary 28, 2015 at 9:28 AM

    It's a beautiful bird. We have hawks here but they're such stealthy creatures I rarely see them.

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  54. UnknownJanuary 28, 2015 at 10:09 AM

    Awesome captures of this gorgeous bird.

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  55. A Colorful WorldJanuary 28, 2015 at 11:00 AM

    Checking you out! :-) The range of motion reminds me of an owl. Great shots! Too bad it flew too far. perhaps the couple is finding a nesting spot...that would be great for you! I had an encounter with a Harris Hawk on my way home the other day as well, but it didn't fly off. I'm hoping there's more than one about since these tend to stay in family groups!

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  56. LowellJanuary 28, 2015 at 6:04 PM

    You are so good at these pictures! I'm amazed, really! I saw a hawk on a golf course last week but by the time I turned the cart around and got my camera out it was gone! :(


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  57. UnknownJanuary 28, 2015 at 9:36 PM

    neat photos :)

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  58. Susan AndersonJanuary 29, 2015 at 3:24 AM

    I love to watch a hawk fly. And no, I had no idea they could turn their heads so far. That's crazy.

    =)

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  59. NatureFootstepJanuary 29, 2015 at 5:10 PM

    sometimes I wish I could turn my head like that :)

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  60. kayerjFebruary 3, 2015 at 6:41 PM

    we have a lot of these hawks in our area. they perch on the telephone poles along the highway.

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