Dark phase Rough-legged Hawk @ Pt. Mouillee

[Jerry Jourdan]

Birders,

 

This morning I found and photographed a dark-phased ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK at
Pt. Mouillee SGA in Monroe Co.  The bird was found on the Middle
Causeway between the Banana Units and just before the Lead and Vermet
Units open up from the phragmites.  It was perched atop the tower that
is located along the path. Correct me if I'm wrong but I believe these
birds should be long gone by now?

 

I first thought the bird was a female Harrier, but it allowed me to get
close enough for several nice digiscoped images:

 

http://www.pbase.com/jourdaj/image/97016282
<http://www.pbase.com/jourdaj/image/97016282> 

 

Only then did I notice the small beak and uniform dark coloration all
over.  I managed a short video of it just before it took off toward the
Vermet Unit.  Continuing along the path I re-flushed the bird in the
sunflower stubble on the Vermet side and, for the next 10 minutes, shot
hundreds of pics as it soared just above me hunting the stubble.  It
paid me no attention and circled about 20 feet above, giving me
excellent views of its underside.

A Red-winged Blackbird hitched a short ride on its back as it flew
toward me (you can pick your caption for this image):

 

http://www.pbase.com/jourdaj/image/97016284
<http://www.pbase.com/jourdaj/image/97016284> 

 

The dark tail band is heavily worn, but still distinctive:

 

http://www.pbase.com/jourdaj/image/97016285
<http://www.pbase.com/jourdaj/image/97016285> 

http://www.pbase.com/jourdaj/image/97016286
<http://www.pbase.com/jourdaj/image/97016286> 

http://www.pbase.com/jourdaj/image/97016287
<http://www.pbase.com/jourdaj/image/97016287> 

 

and the beak is small, unlike a dark-phase Red-tailed Hawk

 

http://www.pbase.com/jourdaj/image/97016289
<http://www.pbase.com/jourdaj/image/97016289> 

 

Other notable birds from the morning:

 

(1)   Sedge Wren in the Bloody Run Unit across from the Latenschager
Unit

(1)   flyover Black-bellied Plover

(6) Black Terns in the Lead Unit

(100's) of Forster's Terns roosting/nesting in the Lead Unit

(2)   Osprey on the Platform in the Lead Unit

(6) flyby Short-billed Dowitchers and (1) Lesser Yellowlegs

 

Other than that, Dunlin and Killdeer and Semipalmated Plovers were the
only shorebirds.

 

I'll post more to the blog when I have time!

 

Thanks for looking,

 

Jerry

http://jerryjourdan.blogspot.com <http://jerryjourdan.blogspot.com/> 



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