From KS to NE...more interesting red-tails

Today I made it into Nebraska.  Three days ago a big winter storm moved across the country, and the area I was in got dumped on by rain.  As if my roads weren't already hard enough to get to in a sunfire!  I stayed in Norton, KS for two nights, waiting for the rain to stop.  The next day, the sun came out and dried up the roads a little, but not enough to make them passable.  I had to bypass a few, but I would be coming back through that route again on my way into Nebraska.  It was already a slow day, so I wasn't particularly happy, when I came across this (WARNING: GRAPHIC).

This unfortunate red tail somehow got electricuted and stuck on this power line pole (northern Jewel County).  Maybe his feet got stuck first, and the struggle electrocuted him, or he got electrocuted first, and his grasp got him stuck.  It was incredibly sad, because his mate was still sitting near him on the wire.  I think it had just happened that morning, as the body looked fresh.  There is no way I could get him down.  I am writing a letter to the power company with questions about this pole design.  These particular poles don't have cross bars, where a raptor would usually sit.  I don't expect anything miraculous from them, as this is not a new issue, but I am interested to hear their response.  I also do not know much about bird strikes/deaths on powerlines, so hopefully I can learn more.  It just looks like the wires are not far enough away from the pole top.  Whooping cranes sometimes hit powerlines, but don't actually get electrocuted.  Necropsies show that they usually die from the impact, and the lines only caused them to fall.  This is very different.  It would be interesting to see if this red tail actually was electrocuted (which is my suspiscion) or if he simply got stuck.  Other red tails in this county seemed to sit on the wires, because of this pole design, while others sat next to the insulators or on top, like this red tail did.  Unfortunately, I think this happens a lot, but bodies probably fall to the ground and aren't found.

red-tail kill, Jewel County KS

Sitting about 1/4 of a mile down the road from the red tail was a prairie falcon!  She was also sitting precariously on these poles, but in a different spot.  She flew a few times, but I managed to get this photo. 

prairie falcon, Jewel County KS

At Lovewell State Park, I found this intermediate juvenile harlan's hawk. 

Jewel County, KS

This morning, I found this curious coyote roaming through the road.  She disappeared into a den in the ground.

Another interesting find is this bird.  It was sitting on a fence with some magpies and crows.  Originally, I thought it was a Harlan's with some strange pigmentation (the white "V" on the neck/nape).  After looking at my books and talking with Alex, I then thought it was a light phase female rough legged hawk.  I still think it is one, but Alex really thinks it is light intermediate morph harlans, due to the white scapulars running down the back and making a "V."  I think this is hard to say for sure do to the quality of the photos, but suggestions are welcome!  Either way, I have never seen a hawk like this!

Smith County, KS

Smith County, KS (same bird as above)

A little to the west, I found this juvenile Ferruginouse Hawk soaring around.

Smith County, KS

Finally, the day ended abruptly when I tried to make it down a slick road.  After barely making it through some mud pits, I saw one more and said "I'll turn around after THIS one!"  Unfortunately I was sucked in, and got royally stuck!  I waited for the nearest tow truck, thanks to Triple A, and was easily pulled out.  I lost about three hours of day light, but hopefully I can make it up before the next big storm.

A sunfire, while sometimes impressive off-road, is not a jeep.