January 13 Email:
Hi,
While visiting Grand Rapids from the UK over Christmas and New Year, I was privileged to visit the Muskegon Wastewater Treatment Plant to attempt some wildlife photography.
I was fortunate to see some Bald Eagles and a beautiful Snowy Owl; however, I got some shots of another bird that I am struggling to identify and wondered if you could help me.
I thought it might have been a Rough-legged Hawk; however, there is no clear barring on the tail, so I am at a loss to say what the bird is.
I am attaching the photos I took, but they are not great (dark bird against bright background), and I have had to tweak them quite a bit.
Any help you can offer would be most appreciated.
Thanks for your time
Regards,
Eddie Conway
Northumberland
UK
Mr. Conway figured correctly, Rough-legged Hawk (dark morph). According to Jerry Liguori's Hawks from Every Angle, "many" adult male Rough-legged Hawks have "multiple narrow black bands" in their tails" (so not "all"), and his photographs on page 75 of flying dark-morph roughlegs seen from below show everything from very visible bands to no visible bands at all. Thanks to Mr. Conway for the report and photos! - Ric
1 comment:
Your bird is a juvenile, so looking for tail bands is irrelevant. The tail bands on adults are often invisible from below on closed tails, the tail needs to be spread or needs to be viewed from above
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