2005_2053 Ferruginous Hawk
Last year, I tracked the progress of several raptor nests. Of the two Ferruginous Hawk nests I located - both in use now for many years - one was successful and one was not. Ferruginous Hawks are listed in Canada as "Threatened", ie. not quite endangered. Yet. (The IUCN lists this as a species "of least concern", which probably means the US population is doing well. Canada has about 15% of the breeding pop., and evidently there is significant concern.) They are sensitive to habitat disturbance, fluctuations in the small mammal population (no problem around here!), and human encroachment. It is incumbent upon photographers to know these things before attempting field work with wild animals and birds.
So how did I get this shot, and more critically, was it okay to do so? These are questions that should be asked.
The cottonwood tree is off a back road that crosses a side road and leads to a ranch. Pretty remote. Not drivable in rainy weather. There were no hawks in sight, so I stopped the car and got out for a closer look at last year's large nest, still intact, to see if there were any signs of renovations. The nest is high in the tree. Within seconds, I noticed a hawk wheeling in the sky above me. It made a low pass, and then to my astonishment, landed on a low branch in front of me. If I had anticipated this, I could have captured the touch down. I raised my camera, hand held, and banged off about 20 quick frames before it launched again, and looking up, I saw the mate, circling high in the sky. At that point I returned to my car and drove away. It was as simple as that.
The next time I checked on the nest, maybe two weeks later, I stayed in the car, and only paused long enough to determine that one hawk was on the nest. There was no sign of the mate. Sadly, I never did see the pair again, and the nest was abandoned. I can only assume that some misfortune befell one of them, causing the other to abandon the nest. It is possible, however, that some disturbance drove them off. I am hoping that the nest will be refurbished and used again, as it has been the starting point for many a baby hawk during the past ten years of observation by yours truly.
The other Ferruginous nest produced at least two young that fledged and were looking great when I saw them later that summer. One out of two isn't bad, but I'd be happier if that rate doubles this summer. They are magnificent.
Photographed near Val Marie, Saskatchewan (Canada). Don't use this image on websites, blogs, or other media without explicit permission ©2020 James R. Page - all rights reserved.
2005_2053 Ferruginous Hawk
Last year, I tracked the progress of several raptor nests. Of the two Ferruginous Hawk nests I located - both in use now for many years - one was successful and one was not. Ferruginous Hawks are listed in Canada as "Threatened", ie. not quite endangered. Yet. (The IUCN lists this as a species "of least concern", which probably means the US population is doing well. Canada has about 15% of the breeding pop., and evidently there is significant concern.) They are sensitive to habitat disturbance, fluctuations in the small mammal population (no problem around here!), and human encroachment. It is incumbent upon photographers to know these things before attempting field work with wild animals and birds.
So how did I get this shot, and more critically, was it okay to do so? These are questions that should be asked.
The cottonwood tree is off a back road that crosses a side road and leads to a ranch. Pretty remote. Not drivable in rainy weather. There were no hawks in sight, so I stopped the car and got out for a closer look at last year's large nest, still intact, to see if there were any signs of renovations. The nest is high in the tree. Within seconds, I noticed a hawk wheeling in the sky above me. It made a low pass, and then to my astonishment, landed on a low branch in front of me. If I had anticipated this, I could have captured the touch down. I raised my camera, hand held, and banged off about 20 quick frames before it launched again, and looking up, I saw the mate, circling high in the sky. At that point I returned to my car and drove away. It was as simple as that.
The next time I checked on the nest, maybe two weeks later, I stayed in the car, and only paused long enough to determine that one hawk was on the nest. There was no sign of the mate. Sadly, I never did see the pair again, and the nest was abandoned. I can only assume that some misfortune befell one of them, causing the other to abandon the nest. It is possible, however, that some disturbance drove them off. I am hoping that the nest will be refurbished and used again, as it has been the starting point for many a baby hawk during the past ten years of observation by yours truly.
The other Ferruginous nest produced at least two young that fledged and were looking great when I saw them later that summer. One out of two isn't bad, but I'd be happier if that rate doubles this summer. They are magnificent.
Photographed near Val Marie, Saskatchewan (Canada). Don't use this image on websites, blogs, or other media without explicit permission ©2020 James R. Page - all rights reserved.