The Guardian

Immature Swainson's Hawk.  Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, July 2026

"I’m not asking you to leave. I’m telling you."

Generally, life is good.

Huntsville Residents - I.

Two weeks ago while I was in Huntsville, a stranger told me that there are raptors in the area. I had seen an Osprey fishing in Pineview Reservoir, but I didn't have any idea what other raptors I might find there.

Then, a week ago, I met a Swainson's Hawk—and it was a handsome male! The hawk wasn't intimidated by my presence at all, allowing me to spend almost half an hour with him. The stranger was right. There are definitely raptors around Pineview Reservoir!

Generally, life is good!

On the Wings - III

Immature Black-crowned Night Heron.

Swainson's Hawk.

Double-crested Cormorant.

Snowy Egret.

Black-necked Stilts.

Generally, life is good.

Female Swainson's Hawk and Her Babies

A year ago, I photographed a family of Great Horned owls with their babies in this same tree.  This year, a family of Swainson's hawks took a fancy to this tree, built a nest, and are now raising their two babies.

Normally, the female spends time in the nest and the male guards it nearby. Both parents feed and care for their babies for six weeks before the young birds are strong enough to leave the nest. 

While raising their young in the summer the Hawks' family will feed their babies a varied diet that will include mice, lizards, snakes and insects. 

Generally, life is good.

Swainson's Hawk is Having His Breakfast

 

Generally, life is good!  

An Unusual Encounter

 

Birds are making decisions all the time, some of them are instinctive, others are their choices. 

I don't know why this Swainson's Hawk chose to stay on the pole where he was perching and didn't fly away when I stopped my car. He was so close that if I reached out my hand, I would touch him.  He looked through the open window at me as if he was studying me. 

The Hawk's eyes were large and stern and for a few seconds I felt uneasy. I wondered how does he see us, humans?  I am sure the Hawks see us in colors and have excellent vision but what about shapes and details?...  

Generally, life is good!

Swainson's Hawk in All His Glory

My first thought when I saw a Swainson's Hawk was the Hawks are back and  soon autumn will arrive.  No, Swainson's Hawks never left the Bear River, autumn will arrive only in one month, it's just me who is tired of excessive heat and long for cooler days.  

Anyway, here is the Swainson's Hawk in all his glory perching on the pole.   

 

When the Hawk became bored with me he took off giving me a few awkward seconds to capture his strength and beauty.  And I captured his eye, his bill, two hanging down legs, cut off a little bit his wing and was happy about this photograph. 

Generally, life is good!

 

 

Swainson's Hawk in Early Spring

My encounters with Hawks this spring were random but always memorable. Sometimes luck was on my side and I was able to capture Hawks taking flight like this Hawk above.

I am still learning how to approach Hawks and hope that someday I will be able to predict their behavior.

These photographs I took on May 26, 2020 and never had published them.  Such a life...

Swainson's Hawk During Sunset

Usually, I see the hawks perching on poles, soaring over the field and looking for a prey. This guy surprised me because he was on the ground and not sensitive when I started to approach close. He continued to do what usually hawks do, resting and observing. 

Hawks at Bear River

This spring is unusual in many ways. My dream to photograph Hawks came true in abundance. I got several portraits of these birds. Last year I wasn't so lucky, the Hawks I saw either were far away or took flight the moment I stopped my car. 

Adult male Swainson's hawk. 

I believe that this is Merlin but not sure. 

Immature Swainson's Hawk.

Swainson's Hawk during sunrise.  It looks like I photographed mostly Swainson's Hawks this spring.

***

Most things never happen.

Just because you dreamed it, desired it, hoped for it, wished for it and imagined it doesn’t mean it will happen.  

The ONE THING for today:

Most things never happen.  It takes hard work, saying no to a lot of other things and a whole lot of hard work and sustained commitment.  So… ~ Pastor Kemp.

Swainson's Hawk is Taking Flight

It started this morning in the same fashion like one week ago. There were a few different hawks perching on the signposts but most of them weren't very cooperative until I met this Swainson's Hawk. 

After watching for a while the Hawks I noticed that I can predict sometimes their behavior, their moves and the moment when they take off but it doesn't happen often.

Thus, this Hawk before taking off bent forward slightly his body lifting his wings up that's when I knew that in a few seconds he would take flight.

And he took flight with a Barn Swallow who decided to follow him for a while. That was so unusual and exciting.

After the Hawk took flight he lifted his wings slightly up and his head almost sank into his wings.

Wings up!  A classic moment of flight! 

Staying calm helped to capture this moment when the Hawk headed into the desert.

Swainson's Hawks During and After Mating

I was waiting for over a month for different raptors to come at Bear River and was happy to meet Swainson's Hawks for the first time in my life. 

These raptors usually stay during winter in South America but in March they head north to find their mates, build nests, lay eggs and raise their offsprings.  Some of them will stop in Northern Utah to do just that.

The female Swainson's Hawk is waiting for her mate who apparently was somewhere close.  I didn't see the male Hawk around, he appeared almost out of nowhere.

The mating happened twice on the same tree with about twenty minutes interval.

The male Hawk's keeps his wings wide spread during the beginning of mating. My guess is for balance.

After the mating the male Hawk gently patted the shoulder of his mate.

After the mating. 

The female Swainson's Hawk.

Swainson's Hawks Mating on the Tree.

I was heading toward Bear River when I saw a female Swainson's Hawk perching on the branch of a tall tree. She looked so beautiful in golden light.

I stayed with her for a while but for a long time nothing interesting was happening and suddenly out of nowhere the male Swainson's Hawk appeared and landed on the female. And the mating began.

The female Red-tailed Hawk during the sunrise is waiting when the sun warms up the day.

This freezing cold morning I took the photos I never dreamed about and then I had a difficult time to identify these Hawks. Frustrating!

 Cão, thank you very much for helping me to identify these Hawks.