Red-Tailed Hawks, Northern Illinois

A Red-tailed Hawk checking out the action on Blood Points Rd., Cherry Valley, IL; 8/1/2011.

This fall raptors have been on the move migrating towards their winter hunting grounds. Although I haven't been out to enjoy this season's migration, I have been keeping up with the IBET posts, and there seems to be a lot of sightings of raptors in the Northern Illinois area.  One of our more common raptors is the Red-tailed Hawk (Above), which we see year round especially along rural roadsides.

The same Red-tailed Hawk sitting on an electrical pole on Blood Points Rd., Cherry Valley, IL; 8/1/2011.

As I was biking along Blood Points Road a year ago, I saw this majestic Hawk sitting on an electrical pole (Above), which I soon recognized as a Red-tailed Hawk as I zoomed in on it to get its picture. Its obvious red tail sticking out past its wing tips was the give away. It flew across the road and settled on a dead branch not far away (Top photo).

Another Red-tailed Hawk sitting in a small tree off the loop road in Rock Cut State Park, Rockford, IL; 4/23/2011.

A Red-tailed Hawk soaring over a prairie, Blackhawk Springs Forest Preserve, Cherry Valley, IL; 4/21/2012.

Another easy identification of this hawk, as its red tail is back lit by the late afternoon sun.

Nrth IL Warbler Fall Migration: Palm Warbler

A BIRD IN THE PALM IS WORTH MORE

THAN TWO IN THE BUSH?

A Palm Warbler trying to hide from my camera in the bush, Espenscheid Forest Preserve, Cherry Valley, IL; 5/1/2011.

Another common warbler migrating through our area is the Palm Warbler (Above). I took several good pictures of this species a year ago in both the spring and fall migration periods. It is more fun to see him in the Spring when he sports its breeding plumage of red cap, yellow eyebrow, throat and breast. In the fall when I see it pass through, it loses its colors and is more drab. below are a couple links to earlier posts about the palm Warbler. he second link shows photos of the Palm Warbler in its non-breeding plumage.

http://northernillinoisbirder.blogspot.com/2012/06/april-land-birds-in-northern-illinois.html

http://northernillinoisbirder.blogspot.com/2011/05/palm-warblers-early-may-migration.html