ML74299821

Age

Not specified

Sex

Not specified

Media notes

Harris's Hawk perched in tree at eastern edge of Niobrara State Park campground

Observation details

Along NE12 just west of Niobrara town, at about 4:45 p.m., found a Harris's Hawk. I initially saw the bird in a tree on the west side of Mormon Canal just north of the highway. As I tried to approach and photograph the bird, it flew back and forth between the trees along the western edge of the canal and the trees in the belt just east of the state-park campground. I got decent looks at it, both perched and in the air. Mostly dark brown. Extensive rufous in the upperwing linings, visible both when perched and in flight; in flight, the bird also showed extensive rufous in the underwing linings. Middle portion of tail dark; narrow bright white terminal band; lots of white at base of tail, both above and below. Head dark; basal two-thirds of bill pale yellow; more distal portion bluish. No vox. At the time of the sighting, I didn't consider the possibility of an escaped hawking bird; but I never saw falconry tackle, e.g. jesses dangling from the legs, and the bird's unwillingness to let me approach might be weak evidence that it was in fact wild. This is a new Nebraska bird for me; I know it well from my time in Tucson.

Technical information

Model

DMC-FZ20

ISO

80

Focal length

72 mm

Flash

Flash did not fire, auto

f-stop

f/4.0

Shutter speed

1/200 sec

Dimensions

390 pixels x 545 pixels

Original file size

58.58 KB