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The Daily Bucket is a nature refuge. We amicably discuss animals, weather, climate, soil, plants, waters and note life’s patterns.
We invite you to note what you are seeing around you in your own part of the world, and to share your observations in the comments below.
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If you are flying over Kansas, especially at high altitude, you might be bored enough to make that nap tempting. But beneath you in the Flint Hills region the terrain is anything but flat, as any little hike would prove. I like to refer to it as a country of breaks, as in timbered draws, washes, river and stream drainages, interspersed with expansive natural grass pasture, rocky ridges, and hilltops.
As you can see from the cover photo expansive natural grass ‘pasture’ can be quite varied topographically. Those airliners aren’t the only one flying over Kansas. The prairie and hills are populated with a number of species of raptors. If you look really closely at that photo you might notice something easily overlooked. Just about dead center, in the grass just below the timber growth, you might see an intriguing dark spot. An enhanced look at that spot follows…
Harrier doing his flyover
I had been trying to capture a decent image of this Harrier (there seems to be a pair) for a few weeks, but they have been skittish and elusive. As I walked out the door to ‘do an errand’ my wife asked “why are you taking your camera”? This day was different. I saw 23 hawks during my 8 mile drive and when I arrived at my target area I parked and hiked a short distance, found an inviting spot with some cover, and began the wait. I didn’t have to wait long before the Harrier came along, as though taking inventory of his area.
As I continued the action increased in intensity.
Although not positive of id, I think this next one is another Rough Legged, perhaps an immature male. This one is a smaller version of the one I posted a couple weeks prior (and again below).
Immature Roughie?
The clear skies were a welcome relief and provided better opportunities for photos than the snowy weather of New Years Day/s.
A recent conversation in the comment section of a Dawn Chorus or Daily Bucket diary caused me to look at a bird identification site where I discovered an unbelievably beautiful photo of a Rough Legged hawk. I was immediately enamored. After learning they nest in the arctic I could not believe my luck at seeing one for myself right here in Kansas. This youngster was much closer to my ranch than was my first sighting. The lack of vivid tail band leaves me a bit uncertain on positive ID.
Mature Rough Legged
The strikingly beautiful tail banding on my earlier sighting is clearly evident.
I’m hoping the latest sighting, in closer proximity to my home will result in more interaction/photo opps in my favor.
But if that doesn’t happen I have a host of other subjects to pursue. The abundance of raptor species in this area is hard not to notice, but is harder to find great success. But like I always say, this day ain’t over til the Sun don’t shine!
The same day I got my first Roughie, I also saw a Bald Eagle not far from our ranch. Unfortunately I could not get in a position with favorable light, but I was very happy to at least see one out here in the prairie hills.
Bald Eagle near Appy Trails Ranch in Flint Hills of Kansas
This guy was in a treetop overlooking a the timbered Verdigris River, a spot with some shoals. I expect to see more Eagle activity in such locations during the spring when fish are spawning. I’ve seen them so thick just below my cabin it was mindful of the Kookanee (freshwater salmon) runs I used to harvest during my tenure as resident of northwest Montana. It was not uncommon to see upwards of a hundred eagles at a time up there, especially just below Glacier National Park. I have even walked among them as they caught fish in the creek shallows near the trail.
I do not get to see Bald Eagles that often here in Kansas, and when I do it is usually during the spring, so to see this one in the fall was very uplifting for me.
OK, time for more flyovers from my ‘errand’ excursion. I have to admit to taking about 25 photos on the day. Good ones were few and far between. In fact, I really didn’t expect much in the way of anything acceptable in terms of posting it goes. But, here goes…
Harrier comes closer. Ahhh!
The Harrier became more cooperative, which is very handy when you are maxed at 200mm lens to work with. I’m working on improving that discrepancy, but sometimes it takes time to overcome a challenge. Getting close enough to get a decent shot of a hurrying Harrier at 200mm or less can be a pretty good challenge!
It wasn’t close enough for a wall hanger photo, but progress is progress! And there’s still my little ditty about “the day ain’t done”.
Elated, I got back in my rig to head for home. I hadn’t gone more than a mile when I saw something very interesting.
OMG! What have we here?
I bailed out and got set up to shoot, best I could in a hurry mode, and was rewarded with what might be my best hawk photo yet, although it took a bit of zooming to realize it.
As you can see this beauty is heading away from me after an amazingly close flyover, so I felt very fortunate to have managed to get as good a picture as it turned out to be. Can’t see it’s head at all, but I think you’ll agree it’s beauty is there for all to see.
I’ll just up the zoom a tad. Hmmm, does 3-2-1 work?
Red Shouldered Hawk? Or Harrier?
When I arrived back home my wife was waiting on the porch. “You were gone a long time. Did you get it (the errand) done?” Dejected and confused (thinking I hadn’t taken a decent photo) I answered “Errand?”, then went inside to discover what was hidden on the memory inside my camera.
Surprise!
That’s a Flint Hills Flyover if I’ve ever seen one, and that’s my ‘Appy’s Big Finish’ .
Now I can hardly wait to see the contributions from all our friends.
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