Rough-legged hawk

We have a few of these wintering here in the Twin Cities. There is one hanging around in a field by an office building, where there are a bunch of pipes serving as good hunting perches. Apparently this hawk is hanging out there all the time, so today I finally headed over and found it right away! I've seen rough-legged hawks before, bu this is the first time I've had the opportunity to photograph one. Most of the time it kept its distance, so I didn't stay too long, but I got lucky once when it flew closer and landed on a much more attractive natural perch.

One of the many pipes in this field:

Nicely done, I like them both - looks like you may take a lot of trips there now.

Thanks- it's across town so hard to make it over there during the week, with rush hour and the days are still short. But I'll definitely head back next weekend! It's a good thing I don't work in that office building right next to the field, otherwise I'd never get any work done!

Great shots Liz -- I love #2!

Frame that 2nd Shot Liz!!!

love the second one...

What a cool looking hawk. Nice work.

Those are some big pipes or that's a small Hawk. The second one is a stunner...congratulati​ons.

Thanks all, I was really glad that it flew over to a nicer, closer perch. Those pipes are pretty big. The rough-legged hawk is a decent size hawk, the same size as a red-tailed hawk.

Pretty shots of the far north RLHawk... that second shot is a gorgeous compostion.. nice work Liz.

db

Wonderful detail!

Thanks all, for looking and commenting! It's nice to have the opportunity to get close to one of these beauties, things like this make a long MN winter go by faster .

Really like #2 also.

What, y'all don't like the one where it's sitting on a big ugly pipe covered with poo?

Great capture!