Winter is a great time for raptor photography, especially in the warmer south because a lot of the raptors migrate there. Although Colorado is not necessarily a good place for raptors in winter because of the cold weather and snow, prairies and grasslands are still good to hunt rodents here.

Next weekend I’m planning to visit New Mexico’s Bosque Del Apache with my buddy Sergey. Although the migration season is over, I’m hoping to perhaps capture some of the early spring migration/mating. I haven’t planned out the trip yet, but it will definitely be a long drive (over 8 hours), so I need to work on getting a hotel booked, along with getting a list of hot locations in Albuquerque, Santa Fe and other beautiful towns.

What a pleasant surprise! This guy was very curious and was cruising around me while I was continuously shooting him. I couldn’t tell what it was because it didn’t look like anything I have seen before. Relatively big in size, definitely not a Red-tailed or Swainson’s (which are very common in Colorado). The Sibley’s field guide to birds tells me this is a Rough-legged Hawk! These birds are uncommon in Colorado and only come here in winter from northern tundras in search of food.