Wednesday, February 11, 2009

The Great White Hawk

I ran across the secretly famous "White Hawk" yesterday. He is a leucistic Red-tailed Hawk, with a small dark patch on the back of his head and a few of the tail feathers being the characteric red. I've photographed him many times, but each and every time is very special. I've seen him for over 4 years now, but have no idea just how old he or she might be. Lifespans of Red-tailed Hawks are 10-25 years in the wild. This is the first time I have captured him with a meal. What an awesome creature!






I think the meal is a squirrel.
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12 comments:

  1. Craig GlennFebruary 11, 2009 at 8:05 AM

    OK Hannibal! Now I think you are just making stuff up!!!

    LOL, you must work very hard to fine these amazing captures all the time. Great job!

    Craig

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  2. CountryDreamingFebruary 11, 2009 at 10:33 AM

    Definitely a rare and special treat to see this one-in-a-million Red-tailed Hawk that might just as well be called a White-tailed. Excellent shots!

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  3. jalynn01February 11, 2009 at 12:48 PM

    Everytime I log on to your blog I know there is going to be something worth looking at...but today you have really outdone yourself. I love this white hawk and it's stance and it's prey! Great great great photos. So glad you find these rare birds for us to see!!

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  4. ChrisFebruary 11, 2009 at 1:40 PM

    Hi Hannibal,
    Just discovering your blog and I enjoyed it a lot. A very nice serie of pictures of this hawk. Awesome as you said to get him/her when its taking its meal... It is also nice you can follow it for so many years.

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  5. DonFebruary 11, 2009 at 3:51 PM

    Beautiful, patient work. You are obviously devoted to the birds you follow. I'm always impressed that hawks can take squirrels. My Jack Russells try to do the same, and end up suffering for the experience.

    Thank you for posting your photos.

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  6. TinaFebruary 11, 2009 at 4:26 PM

    Im so impressed that you have followed this hawk for 4 years! What a treat to see it so often! You couldn't have gotten better pictures than those of a kill. Look at those legs in that last shot and its neat you got a shot of the dark spot on its head. It must stand out like crazy in the greens of summer!! Thanks for sharing! Wow!

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  7. MarshaFebruary 11, 2009 at 4:44 PM

    A simply stunning bird! Mother Nature treats us well some time and your camera thrills us by capturing these wonders! Just stunning!

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  8. ShelleyFebruary 11, 2009 at 6:04 PM

    That's it Hannibal. I am packing my bags, buying a house by you and going birding w/ you! This is just thrilling and beautiful to see this hawk!

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  9. AnonymousFebruary 11, 2009 at 7:22 PM

    And I thought that seeing a very large hawk on his squirrel kill a few weeks ago was special...(it was). This bird is spectacular...what a treat, and you see him over and over. Love your sight.

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  10. Gardener's GardenFebruary 14, 2009 at 6:18 AM

    Hannibal this is absolutely stunning and I love all the differert poses. I have never in my life seen anything like it. This should be on the cover of a magazine.

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  11. EveFebruary 20, 2009 at 7:36 AM

    This is just a beauty Hannibal!

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  12. AnonymousMay 5, 2009 at 9:18 AM

    I'm so glad to see a picture of a bird like this. We see one near where we live and hunt around Apple Canyon Lake in the Northwest corner of Illinois. I asked a man from a wildlife preserve what kind of hawk it might be and he told me it sounded like a Cooper's Hawk. From the pictures of those on the internet, I dont' agree with him. The bird we see looks just like this. Awesome!

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