Some years ago in December, I took a photo of an Adult Western, Dark Morph, Red-Tailed Hawk at Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge. I really enjoy discovering older photos that I missed in previous processing sessions. The unique details of this Hawk escape my memory. It’s breast feathers and leg details would provide a more specific identification. In my December collection, only two pictures exist, both showing only the hawk’s back with its head turned 180 degrees towards the camera. I’m seeking assistance from my readers to correctly identify this gorgeous hawk.

Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge in New Mexico is an outstanding place to photograph birds during the winter months. This picture was in mid December several years ago. I was traveling around the back section of the North Loop of the refuge after a wintry shower and this magnificent rainbow formed in the sky. I stopped to position myself to have a good view of the rainbow. As I was scanning for the ideal perspective, this Red-tailed Hawk swooped in and touched down on this bare tree with the rainbow as a backdrop. The hawk has undoubtedly just ingested a grisly meal, as shown by the blood of his prey on his feet and beak. Even though the Red-tail didn’t wipe his face and hands after eating, he finished my quest for that ideal rainbow picture viewpoint.

The Snow Goose may be very common to some of you, but not where I live in the Blue Ridge Mountains. In the winter at Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, New Mexico they are present in abundance! I caught this one just as the light was fading in the evening and he was flying and calling to the rest of the flock. I think they are beautiful to watch and facinating to know that they make very long journeys during migration. Some Snow Geese that winter in western North America which is where I photographed this one, actually breed in Siberia!

I was driving to Bosque del Apache early one morning last winter in the small town of San Antonio, New Mexico and had to stop to allow this iridescent bird to cross the road.
Not what I was expecting to see!