My personal experience is quite limited(only started this last fall), but going by what I see in my books, and searching online, I am going to guess Juvenile Red-tailed Hawk- Harlans, mostly because one of the pictures I found online which was described as that, looked nearly identical to mine. But it looks like it could also be a Dark Morph Red-tailed Hawk to me(please don't tell me its not a red-tailed hawk lol). Location is about 50km north of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Camera is a Digital Rebel T1i, and the lens was a Canon 55-250m @ 250mm, f8, ISO200, & shutter speeds of 1/1000, 1/800, 1/640, 1/800 in that order.
Regardless of what it is, I have to say, its the most beautiful bird I have ever seen! Just wish I could have gotten some perched shots, but he was flying when I found him, and after a bit he was to high in the sky to see.
Nice, thanks. Guess I caught him on migration then? Its my understanding they summer in Alaska? Shame in a way, would have liked to find him again, and try getting some closer shots.
Yes, they are just passing through. Fairly common to see them in Southern Alberta and Sask. We often see them when hunting in the fall. Without looking it up they nest in northern B.C. and Alaska.