More Raptor Goodness! - 30 Jan 2011

With lunch today w/ the wife and girlfriend (hers, not mine, not yet....:)) I had only a few hours this morning to bird.  Dark, overcast skies were the rule for the day, so photography would be tough.  I decided to go after the Rough-legged Hawks I found last week at Pt. Mouillee.

A first stop at the Pt. Mouillee HQ produced the usual suspects, but nothing of special interest.  As I was heading out on Campau Rd. I spotted a dark hawk about 100 yds. back from the road. Carefully backing up to the edge of hedgerow I slowly got out of the car and grabbed the scope.  As the bird watched intently I was able to get it in view and ID it as a dark-phased Red-tail Hawk. 

For several minutes I digiscoped it as it preened and stretched, and finally flew off to deeper woods.  The beak was too large to be a Rough-legged Hawk, and the tail lacked any dark terminal banding, so I was pretty confident.  Some great photos were also taken of a Harlan's Red-tailed Hawk by Vic Berardi, and I was thinking I had one of his birds.  But according to Sibley Harlan's are 'black' and white birds.  So a bird with brown coloration can only be a dark-phased juvenile (?).  So I'm thinking a juvenile bird (note the bright yellow eye and light tail striping).

Just as I was leaving I spotted a Mink far out in the canal south of the small bridge on Campau Rd.  The critter sat out in the open long enough for me to grab the scope again and get a few more digiscoped images.  At 70 yds. I wasn't expecting great quality images, but was happy w/ the captures.

Pte. Mouillee SGA--HQ, Wayne, Michigan, US
Jan 30, 2011 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
Protocol: Traveling
2.0 mile(s)
1 species

Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis)  1     dark-phase; For several minutes I digiscoped it as it preened and stretched, and finally flew off to deeper woods.  The beak was too large to be a Rough-legged Hawk, and the tail lacked any dark terminal banding, so I was pretty confident.  Some great photos were also taken of a Harlan's Red-tailed Hawk by Vic Berardi, and I was thinking I had one of his birds.  But according to Sibley Harlan's are 'black' and white birds.  So a bird with brown coloration can only be a dark-phased juvenile (?).  So I'm thinking a juvenile bird (note the bright yellow eye and light tail striping).

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S42429528

This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)

Heading south on Turnpike Rd. I pulled into Roberts Rd. and immediately spotted a pair of Red-tailed Hawks in the trees, and a third bird in flight.  Farther along the road I spotted an immature Rough-legged Hawk perched high in the tree to my left.  As I pulled up, it flew up the road and perched again high in a tree.  This time the bird stayed perched long enough for a few images with the D300 from the car.  I was even able to get a few digiscoped images from behind the car before it flew off near the trees adjacent to a small pulloff.

As I pulled into the small lot the bird was directly overhead and permitted several images from about 60'.  I was able to watch it flex, stretch, and then spread its wings for takeoff.  I would be able to capture a series of flight shots as it lifted off and flapped its heavy wings before flying off to the east.

Satisfied, I headed down to the parking lot at the end of Roberts Rd. where I found another 3 Red-tailed Hawks soaring as a group along side the road.  As I followed them back toward Rheaume Rd. I spotted a male American Kestrel perched high in the trees.  Another Red-tailed Hawk was perched near the entrance to the Rockwood Landfill and was providing wonderful views from the car.  It would fly before I could get the scope out of the back seat. Satisfied w/ my morning, I headed off to luch w/ the ladies, but not before spotting a Sharp-shinned Hawk on the side of the road.  I would've photographed it, but a German Shepherd was wandering onto Turnpike Rd, and I was afraid it would get hit by a car.  So I pulled onto the road and stopped traffic until it was safe from harm.

Stoneco/Rockwood Quarry, Monroe, Michigan, US
Jan 30, 2011 9:45 AM - 10:15 AM
Protocol: Traveling
2.0 mile(s)
3 species (+1 other taxa)

Sharp-shinned/Cooper's Hawk (Accipiter striatus/cooperii)  1
Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis)  7
Rough-legged Hawk (Buteo lagopus)  1
American Kestrel (Falco sparverius)  1

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S164840543

This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)

With the afternoon skies clearing I couldn't resist and had to return.  So I drove back to Roberts Rd. at ~2pm with the hopes of refinding the Rough-legged Hawk.  Just as I was about to turn onto Roberts Rd. the bird appeared in the field to my right and flew right across the bow of the car.  I was driving too fast to do anything but watch the bird just a few feet in front of the car.  It was huge!  Unfortunately it few into the open field and landed high in a tree.  It would fly off as soon as it saw me walking toward it.  I would later find a second, adult Rough-legged Hawk hovering over the landfill.

As I cruised Rheaume Rd. I spotted a small flock of American Tree Sparrows, Song Sparrows, and three Swamp Sparrows feeding near one of the gates near the corner of Roberts Rd.  Farther up the road a small falcon flew up into the trees, and I assumed it was another kestrel.  But, as soon as I put the bins to it I realized it was a nice little Merlin.

Parking directly below it, I slowly left the car and grabbed the scope.  It perched quietly as I digiscoped it from directly below.  It made no move as I slowly walked across the road in front of it so the sun would be at my back.  I digiscoped dozens of images as it preened and scanned the road below.  The Merlin remained in the tree even as I walked past it and got in the car and drove off.  Great bird!

As I was heading toward Campau Rd. I spotted a pair of adult Bald Eagles soaring overhead.  A couple driving by stopped to ask what I was looking at, and marveled as I pointed at the two eagles just above their car. With  no more birds of note, I headed home for a late afternoon nap.

Stoneco/Rockwood Quarry, Monroe, Michigan, US
Jan 30, 2011 2:00 PM - 2:30 PM
Protocol: Traveling
2.0 mile(s)
6 species

Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)  2
Rough-legged Hawk (Buteo lagopus)  2     Immature and adult
Merlin (Falco columbarius)  1
American Tree Sparrow (Spizelloides arborea)  6
Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia)  2
Swamp Sparrow (Melospiza georgiana)  3

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S164840954

This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)