Priming the Pump for Winter Raptors

I was out of state or otherwise preoccupied this year during the peak of fall passerine migration in Utah, but I'm not letting that dampen my birding enthusiasm because another of my favorite birding seasons is quickly approaching. I know that when the Wasatch Range of the Rocky Mountains takes on its fall colors and our Swainson's Hawks and Ospreys leave the state around the end of September it is time to prime the pump for winter raptors.

Someday (on my buck list) I'm going to make it to one of the popular hawk migration sites, but until then I'll continue to enjoy local hawk migration sites such as Squaw Peak Lookout above Provo, Utah.  I joined a small group of Utah County birders September 29th for a hawk watch and thrilled at the sights of all three accipiter species, Red-tailed Hawks, and Golden Eagles making their way southward along the ridges. We enjoyed watching one Cooper's Hawk rise from the trees in the hillside below us, catch a thermal, and soar right before our eyes. The hawk rose slowly and circled in front of and above us as if it wanted to make a lasting impression, which it did. I could see that its crop was full and it was fueled for the next segment of its migration. It rose higher and higher and then ended the gentle looping with a direct flight southward along the ridge.

Migrating Cooper's Hawk Provo, Utah

Last November I happened to photograph my first Harlan's Hawk (subspecies of Red-tailed Hawk), without even knowing it at the time, in a location we refer to locally as Point of the Mountain. It was Jerry Liguori, raptor expert and author, who confirmed the Harlan's ID when I shared some images with him. Once Jerry confirmed the ID and I shared the sighting with the local birding community raptor watchers descended upon the location and multiple Harlan's Hawks were observed throughout the winter.  Point of the Mountain is a plateau at about 5100' and sits between the borders of Salt Lake and Utah Counties. It is also the location for the Utah State Flight Recreation Area which is used by hang gliders, para gliders, and hunting raptors because of the thermals rising from the hillsides and open fields below.

Juvenile Harlan's Hawk at Point of the Mountain Lehi, Utah

Once I became a little more discerning with my observations of the ubiquitous Red-tailed Hawks I was able to locate my first light adult Harlan's Hawk which had claimed a small field in American Fork for its hunting grounds. Jerry Liguori shared with me that recent data indicates that light Harlan's Hawks make up about  12% of the total Harlan's Hawk population. The images below show the bright white underside lacking buff and rufous tones, blobby belly marks, streaked head, white around the eyes, dark terminal bands in the wings, and the absence of other banding in the wing and tail feathers--all typical traits for light adults. The upper side image shows the whitish scapulars and pale tail feathers which are also common with these hawks.

Light Adult Harlan's' Hawk American Fork, Utah

Light Adult Harlan's Hawk American Fork, Utah

One day while visiting the fields south of the Point of the Mountain and behind our local Cabela's store (a place we call Traverse Ridge) I came across two hunting Prairie Falcons. One would perch on a power pole, leave the pole with a dive and then make a swift, low flight across a field only to do a u-turn and return to its previous perch. After seeing this occur several times I decided to use my truck as a blind and park below the pole to capture some action images. I saw this same behavior with another Prairie Falcon the other day at Point of the Mountain and employed my previous truck-as-a-blind strategy to capture action shots of that bird as well.

Prairie Falcon Below Traverse Ridge in Lehi, Utah

Adult Prairie Falcon at Utah State Flight Recreation Area Above Point of the Mountain Utah County, Utah

During the winter months I often hope and check for Bald Eagles in a small stand of cottonwood trees near one of our local boat harbors in Lindon, Utah.

Bald Eagle (under overcast sky) at Lindon Marina in Lindon, Utah

It was a pleasant surprise to see groups of Bald Eagles perched on snags along rivers and highways during  a drive through southern Utah on my way to Phoenix last December. I especially enjoyed the one below after driving to the outskirts of the tiny town of Panguitch, Utah.

Bald Eagle near Panguitch, Utah

The Rough-legged Hawk below was flying next to our van as one of my great birding friends and I drove along the Antelope Island State Park causeway last winter.

Rough-legged Hawk on Antelope Island State Park Causeway Davis County, Utah

I'm excited about the prospects of seeing Merlins and Ferruginous Hawks this winter as I cruise the valleys and open fields.

This Merlin made Pleasant Grove, Utah its winter home in 2011

Ferruginous Hawk near Beryl Junction, Utah

And there is always the surprise visit of a Cooper's or Sharp-shinned Hawk at our winter yard feeders. I received a call from a friend last winter to let me know a Sharp-shinned Hawk had just taken some prey in his backyard. I quickly drove over and witnessed the scene below.

Adult Sharp-shinned Hawk Having it Meal Pleasant Grove, Utah

Are you ready for winter raptors? I can hardly wait for the next one that comes into view!