Rough-legged Hawk
There have been reports that a Rough-legged Hawk is wintering along Hall School Road near Stuarts Draft in the Shenandoah Valley. Although outside of my Wintergreen area, I had to go to the grocery store in nearby Waynesboro, so I made a short side trip to look for the RL Hawk. It was very cloudy and not a good day for photography, but sure enough, the RL Hawk was sitting on the top of a tall tree on Hall School Road. I got a few photos from my car, but the car vibration plus poor lighting made good focus difficult - as I got out of the car to get my monopod, the RL Hawk flew away. A new bird for me!
Rough-legged Hawk
Rough-legged Hawk
Just after that on Hwy 340 on the way to Waynesboro, I thought that I saw the RL Hawk again sitting on a power line wire, but it was a Red-tailed.
Red-tailed Hawk