Fine Art Images from the American Southwest

Tag: Raptors

Morning Clouds, Latir Peaks, Red-Tailed Hawk, Street Figure, Wolf Moonrise.

Morning clouds yesterday over the Sangre de Cristo, (Rocky Mountains) from the dining room window. I love my views from the various rooms in the house. I saw a goldfish endeavoring to escape the fishbowl. You?

Morning Clouds
Morning Clouds, San Cristobal, NM

The high winds morphed the clouds rapidly into a badger! I’m sorry but I often see badgers in the clouds. All and any interpretations are welcome here!

Morning Cloud shapes
Morphing clouds, San Cristobal, NM

If you are interested here’s an interpretation of Badger Totem.

The following image is the snow-capped Virsylvia Peak in the Latir Peaks Wilderness. Not from the dining room window but a short drive north to the Colorado state line.

Virsylvia Peak
Virsylvia Peak in the Latir Peaks Wilderness, New Mexico.

A familiar sight on the drive to Taos, a Red-tailed Hawk in its usual place. This power pole or at other times a treetop across the street offers this raptor a view of what I suspect is a choice hunting spot. It’s gratifying to see the same bird day in and day out. I would miss this creature if it wasn’t there.

Red-tailed Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk, Taos, NM

Not a spectacular photo but I photograph what I see and like. I found this figure under my car in downtown Taos. I liked it so I’m posting it. At first, I thought it was a Lego® figure, no, but it was definitely a flattened figure becoming one with the road.

Street figure, Taos
A street figure, downtown Taos, NM

Coming up next Monday is the “Wolf Moon”. Here are five sequential images of last year’s Wolf Moon rising over Vallecito Peak from Arroyo Hondo, NM. I wish now I’d turned on the video camera. Maybe I’ll do that with next Monday’s upcoming Wolf Moon.

Wolf Moon

Wolf Moonrise

Wolf Moon rising

Full Wolf Moon

Wolf Moon over snow capped peaks

As always, thanks for looking. Have a great week. G

Red-tailed Hawk family, San Luis Valley

On a photo workshop last week I took my client to visit the Hawks in my previous week’s post. My client is an accomplished bird photographer. Well.., I was expecting maybe mom, pop, and the chick I saw on my last visit, but to our surprise, we spotted a whole family of five. Fledglings were taking to the air from the treetops, encouraged in their maneuvers by the parents. What a treat it was to see the adult male, female and chicks perform this ancient summer ritual at this roadside location.

Enjoy!

Red-tailed Hawk
Male Red-tailed Hawk, on the wing, San Luis Valley.

Female Red-tailed Hawk
Female Red-tailed Hawk, sits in tree top, San Luis Valley.

Juvenile Red-tailed Hawk
Juvenile Red-tailed Hawk lands in a tree.

A Male Red-tailed Hawk
Male Red-tailed Hawk stands guard in tree top, San Luis Valley.

Three juvenile Red-tailed Hawks
Three juvenile Red-tailed Hawks sit in a tree top, San Luis Valley.

Male Red-tailed Hawk
Male Red-tailed Hawk, showing how it’s done and lands in a tree.

Juvenile Red-tailed Hawk prepares to land.
Juvenile Red-tailed Hawk prepares to land on a tree branch near mom!.

As always, thanks for looking. I appreciate all the comments and compliments. Thank you. G

Raptor and a Sears Kit Home

The old charm of New Mexico in two images presented with an old look of a scratched and worn film base. The first is a hawk launching over an old homestead near La Jara, Colorado. The second, an iconic Sears kit home in Estancia, NM. I’m on photo tours this week so I’ll keep it short. If you’d like to join me on a trip, visit my photo tour/workshop page. I’ll look forward to seeing you here.

Homestead and raptor
A raptor launches over a homestead near La Jara, Colorado.

Sears kit home, Estancia, New Mexico
A Sears kit home in the town of Estancia, New Mexico

Thanks for looking. G

Raptor, Red-Tailed Hawk, Ranchos De Taos, NM

Raptor, Red-tailed Hawk on the road to Ranchos de Taos, NM. Alert and on point. Always. I love these creatures, their purposeful design, and immaculate bodies. Their haunting calls from the skies stir my body and soul and remind me there is no way to get back to nature… because we’ve never left it.  Thanks for looking. G

Raptor, Red-tailed Hawk on the road to Ranchos de Taos, NM.

Red Tailed Hawk, Ranchos De Taos, New Mexico

Red-tailed Hawk, Ranchos De Taos, New Mexico. I spent twenty minutes with this magnificent young raptor who spent the time primping and preening, grooming its feathers. I thought he was going to sit there all day. As I thought about driving off, he shook out his wings and tail feathers, had a quick poo, lifted off still pooing, and dropped out of sight. Thanks for looking. G

Red-tailed Hawk, Ranchos De Taos, New Mexico.

Osprey, First Flight, Chama, New Mexico

Osprey, first flight, along the highway power line nesting platform, Chama, New Mexico. A quick drive around the block today. It was very peaceful and delightful, watching these chicks and mom on the nest. Dad is gone, maybe fishing. We spent about an hour observing their behavior. Thanks for looking in. G

Osprey, first flight, Chama, New Mexico.
Who’s going first?

 

Osprey, first flight, Chama, New Mexico.
I’ll give it a shot!

 

Osprey, first flight, Chama, New Mexico.
Look Mama, I’m going for it.

 

Osprey, first flight, Chama, New Mexico.
Go, go, go!

 

Osprey, first flight, Chama, New Mexico.
Whoa!

 

Osprey, first flight, Chama, New Mexico.
About 30 minutes later, mom has left and is calling from a nearby tree. Sister is saying, “wow bro, look at you, that’s awesome.”

 

Osprey, Fish, Heron Lake, New Mexico

Osprey, with a fish at Heron Lake, in northern New Mexico. She looks perturbed, as if I’m going to fight her for it. Not me, but there were a number of greedy, lazy, opportunistic Bald Eagles waiting in the wings. Good girl, stay alert. Thanks for looking. G

Osprey, Fish, Heron Lake, New Mexico

Swainson’s Hawk In Flight, Colorado

Swainson’s Hawk in flight, Colorado. I know where they live and nest, but the uncanny scrutiny this male is giving me suggests he knows where I live. Although… I’m pretty sure he could see himself clearly in the large front element on my lens. Thanks for looking. G

Swainson's Hawk in flight, Colorado.

Golden Eagle, Pole Sitting, Vallecito Mountain

Golden Eagle, pole sitting, on the Hondo Mesa with Vallecito Mountain for a backdrop. I caught a glimpse of what I thought was a hawk from a distance, but grew larger as I closed the distance. I’m not a hundred percent certain it’s a golden but I’m going with it. Thanks for looking. G

Golden Eagle, Pole Sitting, Vallecito Mountain

Bald Eagle, Monte Vista, Colorado

Bald Eagle, Monte Vista National Wildlife Refuge, Colorado. On a “photo safari” in northern New Mexico and southern Colorado this week with my good friend R. David Marks. We may not encounter the big game one might on an African safari, but the excitement of discovering a Bald Eagle, high in an old cottonwood, is no less exciting. Join me on a “photo safari” in our own back yard. Thanks for looking. G

Bald Eagle, Monte Vista NWR, Colorado.