Sept 19, 2018
(from the nature blog Eyes on the Wild of one of our docents and board member, Moira Yip)
Early one morning after a stormy night I saw this Broad-winged Hawk, Buteo platypterus, drying its wings, and I thought you might like to see the photos. (The sun was behind the hawk, so they are rather washed out.)
A good preen
A little shakeout of the wings
And then a stony glare at my obtrusive white truck
The final result
Next time, the action shots!
PS This is a smallish hawk (maximum body length 17″, wingspan 39″ and weight 20oz) and it has a wide range in the Americas, from Southern Canada down to Brazil. Some but not all birds migrate, and they often gather for the migration in huge soaring flocks called kettles.