Red Tailed Hawk?

Kristen Eden · April 13, 2015 · 3 Comments

Click to enlarge.

Driving back into town I had my eye on the lake and decided to pull over and take a few pictures of the last ice floating on the now blue open water.

[pullquote]Pretty cool to see one of these big birds up close![/pullquote]

I parked across from Sandy Point and was about to get out of my car when I noticed a huge bird practically camouflaged on the stump next to the private entrance sign. It was surreal and made my photo opp into so much more!

I was careful not to make a lot of noise or move too quickly but it didn’t seem afraid. I am wondering if it was hurt because it didn’t move. Just followed me with its eyes. I got pretty close (within 10 feet) but didn’t want to go right up to it not knowing what it might do to me. Who knows?

It might still be perched there… Pretty cool to see one of these big birds up close! What kind of bird is this? I am thinking Red-tailed hawk?

Coot Hill Bird Walk and Hawk Watch (essexny.us)
Adirondack Wildlife Refuge and Rehabilitation Center (www.essexonlakechamplain.com)
Kristen Eden’s Eagle (www.essexonlakechamplain.com)
Decrypting Bird Tracks in Snow (rosslynredux.com)

About Kristen Eden

Born in Ann Arbor, Michigan Kristen Eden was exposed to the arts at an early age by fine artist father and writer mother. With an Associate’s degree in Graphic Design, she worked as a graphic designer and art director in Los Angeles before pausing her career to raise her 3 children. Accepted into the Laguna Beach Art Group and a southern California resident for over 25 years, she returned to the Adirondack mountain region in upstate New York to pursue creative interests including acrylic painting and nature photography. www.kristeneden.wordpress.com

Comments

eveticknor says

April 13, 2015 at 5:14 pm

Yes, it is a Red-tailed Hawk. A bit surprising to see it so low and more so that it didn’t fly off right away. They usually do so immediately. You can see a brick-reddish colour on the tail, and a brown “belly band”, both of which are diagnostic of this species. Lucky you! I imagine it left not too long after you did.
Good Sighting!
Eve

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catherine Seidenberg says

April 13, 2015 at 5:45 pm

I heard from someone else on School St that she also saw a hawk sitting low like this..and it turned out its talons were missing, maybe frozen (or torn) off this winter when flying away from an icy overnight perch. They took this hawk to some people who rehabilitate wild birds..can’t think of the name but will find it. It was a rough winter!

Reply
- Katie Shepard says
  
  April 13, 2015 at 10:04 pm
  
  Maybe it was the Adirondack Wildlife Refuge and Rehabilitation Center?
  
  Reply