Northern Hawk Owl Photographed
February 18th, 2008 by Ann Brokelman
On Saturday February 16, 2008, with the roads clear, sun shining, and 15 degrees below zero, it was perfect conditions for a drive to Stoney Creek to see the Northern Hawk Owl. Frank and I departed at 9am to see if we could find this beautiful owl. (It takes about 1-1/2 hours to get from Toronto to Stoney Creek in good weather. Upon arriving, Frank saw the hawk owl at a distance in the tree. I took a walk down the railroad tracks and stopped by the trees to have my first look at the hawk owl. The hawk owl is a combination of an owl’s facial characteristics and a hawk’s body. At first glance he did not look very big until he started to fly; then you can see his tremendous wingspan. The hawk owl was flying so fast and low to the ground that it just blew me away. What also amazed me were the eyes: vast, glowing and vividly amber in shade. At one point the owl flew merely three feet over my head – what a thrill! There were two Northern Shrikes in the same vicinity. One attempted to pursue the owl, although it was readily ignored, while the other Shrike was screeching in its endeavour to take the food. I wandered around the trees taking photos for about an hour, enjoying every minute. If you have not seen the hawk owl yet – you really should go. It was the best three hours of driving that I have done in along time. Another satisfied checkmark on the life list of bird watching.
First glance at the Northern Hawk Owl.
Hawk Owl mantling over the mouse.
Success with the hunt
Keeping an eye out for the Northern Shrike
Full and enjoying the sunshine.
The second part of the trip was to LaSalle Park in Burlington. We saw a juvenile Bald Eagle, Red Tail Hawks, Sharp Shinned Hawks, Peregrine Falcon, Iceland Gull, and Tons of Ducks. Overall a great day.
Photos taken with a Canon 30D with a Canon 100-400 5.6L lens.
All images copyright Ann Brokelman
- Stoney Creek Northern Hawk Owl
- Inglewood Bird Sanctuary Great Horned Owls
- Alberta Yellow-Headed Blackbirds
- Birding in Calgary
- Leslie Street Spit Owls Toronto
- Long-eared Owl Photographed In Flight
- Thickson's Woods & a Great Owl
- Peregrine Falcon Colonel Sam Smith Park Toronto
- Kestrel Kill On A Long-eared Owl Hunt
- Thickson's Waterfront Trail Eared Owls
- Rosetta McClain Gardens Raptor Watch 2007
- American Kestrel Photographed at Downsview Airport Park
- Migrating Birds of Prey
- Male sharp Shinned Hawk in Edwards Gardens
4 Responses to “Northern Hawk Owl Photographed”
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
Very nice shots Ann..a terrific day to be sure. The Hawk Owl is a rare but seasonal visitor to southern Ontario. This is the only one Ive heard of this winter in southern Ontario. I believe last year the only one was in the Ottawa area. Its one to remember and tell your friends about in the future.
Awesome Ann, just awesome! Thanks for sharing these great pics and report.
Rob
Ann, this batch is the best yet! You achieved incredible clarity and composition, and the photos are colour and tone balanced throughout– I’m envious of your skill!!
Super job; beautiful bird.
s
Hi Ann, just registered and I’m surfing around and looking at the photos. Excellent work!!! It looks like he was posing just for you!