Light Morph/Phase Rough-legged Hawk Flight

We spotted 4 or 5 rough-legged hawks today, the in-flight hawk pictured on the left was a light morph (or light phase) rough legged hawk. With cameras in hand fellow photog David Lilly & I scouted around south west of Calgary looking for anything interesting and hoping to see an early mountain blue bird. Still a little early for blue birds, but we found a few wintering rough legged hawks including a light (pictured) and dark morph bird as well as few others hunting a stretch of dirt road south west of Calgary.

Light Morph Rough-Legged Hawk In-Flight

Light Phase Rough-Legged Hawk In-Flight

I dont think these birds of prey will be here very long as they will be heading north to the rough-legged hawk nesting grounds and making way for the Swainson’s & Red-Tailed hawk arrival (Yeah!)