Clinton, MI Hawks! - 24 Feb 2008


A huge thanks to Jeff Schultz for the e-mails the past couple of days! Jeff has been seeing Red-tailed Hawks, Rough-legged Hawks, and Short-eared Owls out in Lenawee Co. between the towns of Tecumseh and Clinton, MI. So I took advantage of this afternoon's sunny and mild weather to head out US-12 SW past Saline and down to Clinton. 


Just past Saline I spotted this gorgeous Red-tailed Hawk perched nicely in the late afternoon sun just off the edge of a dirt road. 



I must've taken 100 pics of it before it finally took off. I managed several flight shots as it lifted off, and got these images (cropped and cloned to remove some branches). 




Driving Clinton-Macon Rd east toward Macon Rd. I spotted numerous Red-tailed Hawks atop the electrical poles and evergreens. They were somewhat skittish, and took off as I slowed to the side of the road. But I managed a couple of flight shots as they flew across the field to join other birds. 




Before long I saw my first Rough-legged Hawk flying back across the road past me, and I created this composite image of several flight shots as it passed.



A short distance later another pair of Rough-legged Hawks were out in a field, and one took off toward an electrical pole. I captured several frames and created this composite as it landed on the pole. 


They are, without a doubt my favorite hawk! I grabbed the scope to try and digiscope it, but a passing truck stopped to inquire about my habits, and the delay was long enough for the bird to move on. Oh, well. I did manage to digiscope a Red-tailed Hawk from about 50 yds. from the edge of the road.

Driving along Murphy Rd. near Pennington I spotted a pair of Northern Harriers working a field just behind several houses. It was now getting dark enough that any flight shots would be blurry. I continued on toward Allen Rd. and found this Red-tailed Hawk atop a pole getting the last bit of setting sun.


Just after 6pm I returned to Pennington just west of Murphy and found Jeff, Pat, Ed and Jerry waiting for Short-eared Owls to appear. Jeff reported that ~20 more Rough-legged Hawks were working a field just off Kehoe Rd. Would I have loved to see that! At about 6:25pm a Northern Harrier flew over us, and a few minutes later the first of (6) Short-eared Owls appeared in the field. I played the birdJam a few times to see if any would come closer, but they were content fly and chase each other yards away from us. By 6:45pm it was too dark to see any more, so I bid Jeff a good evening. Thanks again, Jeff!

Pennington/Murphy Rd, Tecumseh, Lenawee, Michigan, US
Feb 24, 2008 6:25 PM - 6:35 PM
Protocol: Stationary
Checklist Comments:     Jeff Schultz and several other birders reported 20 Rough-legged Hawks in area
3 species

Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis)  2
Rough-legged Hawk (Buteo lagopus)  6
Short-eared Owl (Asio flammeus)  6     Just after 6pm I returned to Pennington just west of Murphy and found Jeff, Pat, Ed and Jerry waiting for Short-eared Owls to appear. Jeff reported that ~20 more Rough-legged Hawks were working a field just off Kehoe Rd. Would I have loved to see that! At about 6:25pm a Northern Harrier flew over us, and a few minutes later the first of (6) Short-eared Owls appeared in the field. I played the birdJam a few times to see if any would come closer, but they were content fly and chase each other yards away from us. By 6:45pm it was too dark to see any more, so I bid Jeff a good evening. Continuing birds.

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S42076457

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