Red-tailed Hawk In The High Desert | Mrsroadrunner Photography

Red-tailed Hawk In The High Desert | Mrsroadrunner Photography




Meet the Red-tailed Hawk of The High Desert of Oregon! If you visit here and see a Hawk, this might just be the Hawk you see first?





You may see the Red-tailed Hawk in a topped Juniper as this one is. Why the topped Juniper tree's? The Red-tailed Hawks are not small birds, not the largest birds of prey we have , not the smallest either!

The Red-tailed Hawk is four feetish in length. The females are bigger then the males, as other birds of prey are. We do get the Red-tailed Hawk here at the house flying over to see what there is to see. However this one was photographed away from the house on this topped juniper tree. Normal growing juniper tree's just are not strong enough to hold a Red-tailed Hawk. So the Red-tailed Hawks find topped juniper tree's or they are found a ring or two down on a stronger limb in the juniper tree, or anything that can hold their weight. We just have a lot of juniper tree's here in the high desert to make use of.

The Red-tailed Hawk can be found most places here in the High Desert. The Red-tailed Hawk does not tend to fear people. You can find the Red-tailed Hawk nesting outside of peoples homes in the tree's here where we live. You can find them on the sides of the road hunting, you can find them on electrical lines along the high ways hunting. Keep your eyes open, if you visit here you will see a Red-tailed Hawk!







This Red-tailed Hawk started stretching it's wings so I new it would not be long until the Red-tailed Hawk took flight!







It is pretty easy to get to close to the Red-tailed Hawks when they take flight! The younger Red-tailed Hawks will not fly far, and will kind of, "jump" to close spots to land. Testing out their wings. That is just the behavior of the young birds. The older Red-tailed Hawks already went through this stage of testing out their wings so they do not have to demonstrate such behavior.







You really do not have to stress the Red-tailed Hawk to take flight. Just wait..... The Red-tailed Hawk when we see them out and about like this, they do not stick around on such a exposed spot like this topped juniper tree for long. The Juniper tree was not tall, it seamed to me like just a stopping point for a short time. I have even photographs the Red-tailed Hawks at kills along with the Eagles. The Ravens always, I mean always tell when their is such a kill. Everything shows up! So keep your ears open for the Raven! The big mouths of nature.....







This shot is the last shot I got before it went behind the other Junipers and I really did not feel like following the bird. Plenty of other Birds of Prey to photograph! The Red-tailed Hawk is not always found up in the sky!! Look in the tree's you are hiking by, use your ears to listen for the Ravens telling you and everyone where a meal is, just keep your eyes open other then in the skies of course!

Thank you for coming by and checking out this series of this Red-tailed Hawk I photographed!

Bird of Prey Visitor

Bird of Prey Visitor




Meet the Bird of Prey that showed up here to the house yesterday! I belive this to be a Coopers Hawk and not the Sharp Shinned Hawk.



I believe this is the hawk who shows up from time to time to hunt our small piece of property. Eating on the song birds who are so plentiful here at home. I did not add all the photographs I got of this bird here in this post, however you can go to the main page at mrsroadrunner.com where the album I put all the photographs of this bird of prey will be on the front until next week.



Typically I wait for at least a week before I put such things up. However since Guy is my biggest fan he recommended putting this series up anyways. This is my way of just thinking about things before I put it out in the public.



I thought it strange as I was working on what else, my photography when all the birds went quiet! So quiet you could hear a pin drop and this is not common. Sure the birds will go quiet when say someone is walking by, or a cat is on the hunt. Then when the danger has passed within several minutes the birds will start, "talking", again.

This did not happen yesterday. So, I investigated. This has been going on for years now, I will go to the front or back to see what is going on. Typically turning on the water hose to run off someones cat.

Not yesterday. First I thought well a dove is in the back, no big deal. We have large flocks of doves and they do hang out here regular. Though this dove just did not look right, so I grabbed my camera. That is when this bird of prey jumped on the rock you see there.



I am a tad bit "weird", about leaving such things as piles of branches and such around here and there until the Lilacs grow out, or the leaves grow on the trees etc. to give the song birds and other small birds places to hide. Of course we have such things as the raspberries which you see here in these photographs as well. It gives the birds and other wildlife a place to hide.

You can see the back gate in these photographs. To the left there is one of our small ponds. The rock in which this bird of prey is standing on, well their is frogs all over both these ponds, toads too! On occasion we will get the snakes moving in, however you can smell when a snake has moved in!!

I am sure there are other wildlife that I do not know about? It took me some time to even know we had night time toads here!



Since all the song birds, other small birds even the doves were hiding at this point, I am not sure if this bird of prey was here to get a drink? Or if this one seen some of the frogs jumping to hide? I am just not sure?



This shot I believe the bird of prey was checking out the cats! We do have a population of cats here like most communities in America we have folks who do have one or more cats.

Now the Copper's Hawk and the Sharp Shinned Hawks I have read, and been told they are "pests". Well all respects to those folks who are cat lovers and have one or a dozen cats, I put cats into the "pest", category as well. I tell everyone who has cats to get those bells and collars off their cat if they want their cat to live long. The birds of prey, (as well as a host of other wildlife we have here), hunt cats as well!

I believe the shot above the bird of prey was checking out the cat that was over that way. I did not see my sons cat and went looking. He was in the extra room sleeping.



We have had several birds of prey here on our property. The owls of course perch in the trees and rarely will be in the trees at this time of the day. Mornings are the time to see the Owls. The Harriers have been here checking out things, I even had that one dive at me and think that Harrier was young and thought my hat was something..... the Red Tailed Hawks, eagles, vultures stay up in the sky when checking the place out. The Ravens geesh they scream and yell so loud hard for them to sneak in without being heard! Then the Osprey, Heron, other birds just pass by to go where they are going.



The dogs were inside with me when this visitor showed up. I really doubt this bird would have been here as long as it was if the dogs were out there? The dogs have been trained, told to leave the birds alone!



By this time this bird of prey knows it is being watched. I tried to be quiet but we are not as quiet as we like to think we are! Then of course the click of the camera ..... You can see in these shots that I was shooting through the kennel fence. Blurring the fence out with my lens the best I could. Happenings like this you do not have time to set up the shots etc.. Wildlife just does not pose for the camera! You got to get the shots as the  operatunity arises.



The bird of prey got deeper into the raspberries I am thinking the bird did not go out the same way it went in because of where I was? It took off flying and went to the pine tree and to our front door. I made my way to the front, where the doves have already set up their nests. Again this bird of prey took off to another persons yard.

The song birds and other birds were rattled for a time, then everything went back to normal..... This Bird of Prey never did get anything to eat here at our house.

It is said if you have such birds hunting near bird feeders etc.. to take down the bird feeders for a while. Then put them back up. We have way to much going on here as far as the wildlife go for things to be that easy! I like the Birds of Prey! So I welcome them until the peace and harmony of my life gets disruptive..... as one frog is, "talking", at the moment, (there goes another frog, and another), and the birds are already wide awake  outside..... that is my que to finish this up!

Thank you for stopping by and check out all this series of photographs if you wish!

Fledgeling Bald Eagle In The High Desert

Fledgeling Bald Eagle In The High Desert




Meet this young Bald Eagle who lives at this time in the High Desert of Oregon!



This youngster was photograph at a spot we like to go to. Being this time of the year this area was quiet of people. The dirt road was ..... well lets just say not sure how one would even go on it without four wheel drive or a high wheel base? Maintaining roads all year around is expensive, and visitors just do not care to camp etc. in winter time. With this said, if you are going to visit our area in the winter time and go on these dirt roads just keep in mind this k! Stay on the pavement, it is safe.

Why at 4am this morning I choose to have this as a blog post of the day? Well someone mentioned the Bald Eagles as we were chatting in twitter. The Bald Eagle has made a remarkable bounce back in numbers! Native wildlife is important and people need to pay more attention to what we have right here in our own backyards! Exotic wildlife is great and all, however if everyone on this planet would pay more attention to the special creatures in their own backyard I feel the critters would be better off, globally.

As well as having these shots from gosh a couple weeks ago, the Warms Springs Eagle Watch just took place! I think the activity there on the Warm Springs land is something I support! Even though I or we do not care for crowds of people it is still a great learning activity for people of all ages to learn and perhaps see the Eagles in their natural environment? If you are so inclined places have been known to bring Eagles for folks to get a close up view and to take controlled photographs so you do not have to waste your time and gas finding them in the wild as I or we do.



This young Bald Eagle was doing more then just paying attention to us. The adults were, "talking", back and forth with each other. One of the adults I got a series of shots of, while the other was further down the canyon where it is several miles hike into which was not in our plans of the day.



The youngsters behavior is interesting. As if the youngsters just dont know what to do. I  or we have run into many youngsters of different ages here and all of them show this behavior of sitting still. Older fledgelings may fly, however I am not interested in freaking out these youngsters. I will get some shots of them and walk away. This is what I did with this one.

You can see from the photographs the tree's you will find these Bald Eagles in. Frankly, they stick out like a soar thumb at this time of the year. Actually, all year around! The Bald Eagles are not as big as the Golden Eagle. However I have seen some pretty big female Bald Eagles! Females being the larger of the two.

I have a hard time with the Eagles at this stage of life. Several things I look for now a days when identifying the Bald Eagle fledgelings. Any white that is not consistent with the Golden Eagle.



Even though I really do not like the shot above, the shot helps me with identifying the youngster. Though heck I am no expert! I just take photographs.....



This shot was of the adult near by. Pointing one way was the youngster, the other way was this adult. This spot has became the place to come for Eagles. Both species! In the background in that shot is Warm Springs Oregon. That is tribal land. Some day that tree is going to fall, some day haha!



I had to really look for the advertisement of the Eagle Watch, finally found it at The Cove Rattler , if you are interested in our area it really is something to check out. They write their blog from down the road about what else? The Cove! Go shoo check out their site!

Keep in mind, every nook and cranny has a name! Everywhere I go again, has a name. I do not give the names of everywhere I get my photographs. However if you do check out their site and you keep up with my photography you may just see familiar areas that will dawn on you, so that is where she got that photograph! If you want to read more about me you can find that on my about me page.

Thank you for coming by and checking out my photographs and my blog! Today is a interesting day for we have to be in Bend later on..... So I will be around on the computer, until I am not! Hope you have a great Monday!

Golden Eagle Landing

Mrsroadrunner Photography | Golden Eagle Landing




Meet the biggest eagle we have in North America, the Golden Eagle!

I photographed this Golden Eagle at a coyote kill in one of the most active places for such things, the nearest town of Post Oregon. This is another area where most of the land is farmed or ranched why so much wildlife activity.

The Golden Eagle is landing just right for a photograph on a hill, why the talons are out, back feathers and wings spread. The Golden Eagle was screaming at me for it did not appreciate the interference at meal time.

Some folks do not know that the Eagle both the species found here the Golden Eagle and the Bald Eagles are scavengers. They will stop at any meal that has passed away even if they themselves have not killed the meal themselves. It is good to listen to the ravens that typically are very good at finding such things and calling in the others, if you listen, fallow the ravens ....... sometimes other creatures are there as well! Including the Eagles!

Local Owl Resident in the High Desert of Oregon

Mrsroadrunner Photography | Local Owl Resident in the High Desert of Oregon




Meet one of our local owls on my walk here in our town!

Quite interesting how I ran across this owl. This owl is a larger species of owl and a smaller bird had gotten my attention for the smaller bird was just throwing a fit. I just figured the small bird did not appreciate my presents? This spot I have had a lot of action take place, from coyotes,to hearing and seeing the ZIP of a duck attempting to land before it saw me, walking up to a pheasant I did not see, mule deer,racoons,all kinds of big and little birds... on and on.





I found out what the little bird was freaking out about! Perhaps the little bird felt this was his territory and the owl was not supposed to be there? I took a couple more steps looked eye level into the tree and BAM! There is this owl !

The owl really did not act like it was in any stress even though I was within gosh ten feet? I really think I was closer !





The owl was not high up in this tree at all. The bigger birds of prey regardless of what you think, they are to heavy to be perched on a small branch you find at the top of trees. I have photographs around here of a young red tail who was trying to land on the top of a tree, and these birds are just to heavy!!

This is why when I see photoshopped images of a larger bird who is somewhere where such a bird just can not be I shake my head.....

This owl was oh in the middle of this tree perched within the tree where the tree could handle his weight. Though I am saying him just because......could be a female.





We do have the long eared owl here, I have a series of shots of the long eared owl. Though because of the size of this owl I think it is a Great Horned Owl . We have all kinds of Birds of Prey here and this one seamed bigger and heavier then the long eared owls that I photographed. I could be wrong?





I turned my camera only because I felt I could! I was after all very close to this owl and had to pull back my lens and step back!

As you can see the owl is checking out the grove of the same species of tree's on the other side of the pond. At the time of course I did not know what the owl was looking at or for.





This shot is when it was evident the bird had enough. The above photographs you see a more relaxed bird. Now you see the bird tensing , the ear feathers back, wings going up, the owls pupils bigger. The eyes are fixed on where the owl is going to go.

At this time I had to think quick if I wanted to follow the bird? Or do I have enough photographs? Sometimes these birds of prey allow me more photographs when I follow them giving them their space, while at other times they no longer want anything to do with me. It is a toss up.

Guy firmly believes that the critters I photograph know I do not get around so good. Guy claims the critters know I am harmless. Not so sure I am on board with this. Observing say caged birds and wild birds is not so different. The wild birds are wild. If this bird just came down from oh , say the Cascade Mountains from a remote location I doubt this owl would have put up with me for so long? Since this owl is basically in our town it sees people. It hears people. Heck for all I know this is one of the owls that hangs out in our tree's?? This owl could have seen me around ?

I am also all by myself when I go for my walks. No dogs, no one else walks with me. The critters only have to put up with me. This is so much different then two or more people!! I do not wear stinky perfume, this way I do not insult the air. I move with intent, not just willy nilly. I do not have music playing, or a phone ringing. I feel this makes more sense then Guys theory.





This is my favorite shot of this bird I got. I do have a photograph I did not upload of this bird flying off. I just had the wrong lens on and could not get all of the owl into the frame. When I say we were close to each other I am not making that up! I was just at the right place at the right time.

The owl flew to a tree of the same species over the pond where I have been before, and I could have walked over there..... I just felt I took enough of this owls time. I am sure it watched me do my thing until I left the area?

Thank you for coming by and checking out my experience with a Wild Oregon Owl . These photographs are uploaded to my Bird of Prey photograph album if you want to see a couple more shots of this owl and the others I have uploaded so far. I have accepted the fact I will always be behind uploading my photographs.

Eagle Being Attacked by Hawks

Mrsroadrunner Photography | Eagle Being Attacked by Hawks




Our town we have quite a few larger birds of prey, as the photograph taken above of the red tailed hawk which is one of a series of photographs of the bird eating.

This short series of photographs is of a eagle being attacked by the local hawks on my walk one day. I admit I heard the commotion before I actually seen anything AND the photographs are not anything that could be a stand alone photograph for they were a distance away.

Where the Eagle is perched and being attacked at is one of my stops on my walk. Many animals are photographed at this spot and the farmer is pretty neat guy and knows this! I had to get permission to be on the land to take these and the other photographs.





Even though I was on foot and no way I could do anything but stop and watch from where I was at I do believe the eagle is one of our Golden Eagles due to the head not being white. However, the eagle could have been a young Bald Eagle. We have both the Golden Eagle and the Bald Eagles here. The Golden Eagles are larger, more dark then white.

The photographs above is a Red Tailed hawk attacking. Their was two Red tails and at least one harrier involved in running what they must consider a threat to their hunting grounds off.



Lake Billy Chinook which I call the "canyon", and the Warm Springs Eagle Watch is not very far away. The eagles fly through here stopping and some fly over the house to go east to other hunting grounds then back to the canyon.

I also notice quite a few folks do not realize that eagles are scavengers, they will eat road kill. Hence seeing eagles around this part of Oregon near roads. Or roads that are considered "back roads", paved or not.





If you have ever been directly yelled at by the eagles, or heard the zip of the hawks diving at you and hearing them screaming at you - you can just imagine what I was hearing while this was going on! That is Mount Jefferson you see a little in the photograph to the right.

When I do not bring my telephoto lens is when I need it and when I bring it I dont need it..... dont figure!



This eagle was clearly not wanted here. To bad I did not start off earlier so I would be further along in my walk. Though I was just photographing a harrier hunting and they are very interesting to watch! Come to think of it this area did have a fire. After this fire which I am so bumbed out about for it burned down a tree the harriers liked to land in, the owners of this land got a lot more pro active of who is on their land which they should be!



The ponds that are in this direction have fish in them, the Osprey hunt the fish on this farm at other times of the year.

By the time I get to that electrical pole the Eagle is on , typically everyone knows I am there! Thanks to the big mouth Magpies usually!! The scrub jays are big mouths as well. These two species of birds typically have to tell on me every dang time! The hawks both Red Tails and the Harriers typically do flybys which are not a huge deal for they keep their mouths shut at least ha! Red tail hawks typically do not come as low as the Harriers to check me out, however the Red Tail Hawks as the first photograph will show they tend to give me some nice photographs and do not take off on me when I do catch up to them perched somewhere. Harriers are just curious and since they hunt by hearing and by eye site they want to see what you are kicking up as you walk.

We also have the Ravens on my walk. Ravens are ravens and they have gotten pretty darn close to me as well! Though they are usually busy elsewhere and dont seam all that curious as to why I am taking my walk. There are barns, holding facilities to the left of this photograph that is on the rail line. Must be better things there for the Ravens to eat?

The owls are also found in those trees down there as well as the shorter trees that you can not see in the above shot anyhoo..... The Harons , racoons , coyotes, rock chucks, mule deer, several species of ducks, lots of song birds, smaller birds and a lot more wildlife is in this area as well. The neighbors out here have seen me and either grin or wave. Unless I am directly on someones property.... and my camera is hard to hide. There is a road behind the trees and such in the photograph above. Just a dirt road, there really is a road haha!

I explained to Guy before where I would be using the road, I promised the farmer I would not have any vehicles or even my dogs with me while on their land. Just in case Guy ever needs to find me for some unknown reason or if I dont come home before night time come looking for me! I typically tell the son I am going here or there.....



I am a little closer at the point. There is a waterline road I take. Well road might be giving what that is to much credit? The farmer and his people use it for the waterline, the pump house.... just a grassy area they drive on when and if they need to get to this part of the farm.

Last time I was down here, new fences were being put in and some other work was being done for planting it looked like to me? The mule deer are a huge problem for the farmers to keep them out around here. Mule deer are pretty and all, but they eat EVERYTHING. Imagine a horse going through your garden you have in your backyard. Sure there is more land here that some of these farmers have but you get the point.



This is the last photographs I am going to show.... this went on and on. Finally the eagle took off to the east. Across hwy 97 where there is good hunting out that direction for the birds of prey. Come to think of it, there is a spot out there I like Guy to drive me too. Many companies have land in our area, with vacation homes or what not. Though some of these places I would love to see the inside of the homes , real nice! Anyhoo, one of these places has designated the land as wildlife habitat NO HUNTING allowed the signs say. The place I am thinking of, I have photographed several eagles there. Without trespassing. I give the owners kudos ! They do have a nice setup out there! Private airport strip and all, the wildlife really like that place! Meaning I like it too!!

Thank you for coming by and seeing what photographs I did get of this experience! Being on foot and all!

Pair of Bald Eagles Waiting Their Turn in Central Oregon

Mrsroadrunner Photography | Pair of Bald Eagles Waiting Their Turn in Central Oregon

Pair of Bald Eagles Waiting Their Turn in Central Oregon

Our adventures start out usually early in the morning.

I woke up late, yes I admit! I got up gosh at 4 am or something. Guy was already up and drinking his coffee. I only have to get myself and my camera ready. Guy has the truck, the dogs, our lunch and extra truck supplies to get ready.

We left here a little before 5am, before the sun came up and hopefully before to much wildlife movement gets started.



The plan was to head to the Malheur National Forest. This drive is always a good one. We head to Madras for gas, munchies. Head to Prineville, to Post, drive on the public roads through large ranches, (historical Izee ranch  than and the Az which that one we are not sure if the road actually goes through that one?), than we hit the Malheur forest (getting the truck we just got, stuck in a 3' snow drift will be a story for another time). The only reason we go to the forest first off is, the dogs have to get out and go to the bathroom. This drive is really all private property, thus we have to be careful of going onto private land. Everyone needs permission from the land owners to go onto their property but the forest believe to us all.

We came upon An unkindness of ravens and the ravens are something we are always on the look out for. Why? Because ravens have this reputation of being very good scavengers and these groups of ravens will fight off even eagles to win the prize! Ravens are very smart, humans are not something they have learned to like and when they flew off and I noticed a deer carcass.

Knowing that eagles and other birds of prey are scavengers as well, it only takes one to look around to find other species of birds who are looking for a way to win  their dinners too. This instance was no difference. Off in the distance was a pair of Bald Eagles waiting for their chance. Or who knows maybe they already ate and were full??

This is the first set of photographs. In the one photograph another bird joined the bald eagles in the tree. Than, because Post Oregon is cattle and farming country, a heifer walked through some of the photographs. The pair of eagles did realize this but in the photograph shown something else got their attention. Than I added the male Bald Eagle who was watching the ravens and has his head cocked.

You can see in the photographs of the pair of Bald Eagles. Female Bald Eagles are the largest of the male and female. I am not a wildlife expert by no means! I can only assume this pair of bald eagles are at least 5 years old since I do not see any brown in their white feathers? I learned so much since I really got serious about this web site and showing my photographs on the computer about the wild animals I photograph!

This next set of photographs , I think I have to upload them backwards to come out with the story, but if I mess up you will get the gist of what is going on.

When birds get ready to fly they will tell us by body language. In no way was I doing anything to scare the birds other then just pointing my camera at them. Wild animals are not like tame ones. Humans are not to be trusted, therefor they really do not want attention brought to themselves. The pair of Bald Eagles noticed I was paying attention to them thus the female was getting ready to fly. She looked around first, then stiffened up, I added a photograph of her stance.

Than she took off and the male just watched her.

In this next and last series I kept the camera on the female. She flew onto private property, of course always my luck!! This private property was behind the Post Oregon's store, post office (all in one type thing. It is not a big town) and the grange hall. I figured I got enough photographs and had other critters to photograph which I will show later.

It was really cool to see all this! I did not show all the photographs I have of this pair of Bald Eagles but I think this is enough.

Thank you for coming by and sharing with us our adventure!

From my archive at mrsroadrunerphotography.com