Great detail, and the eye was a helpful clue.
Here's another one with (much) less than the whole critter --
Red-tail. Just went and looked at a bunch of Harrier photos (not mine) and the feet are a brighter yellow and the skin smoother and the black bands on the tail wider. I like the feet on this one -- looks like it must be a very old bird, skin all wrinkled and cracked, but it's a juvenile, first year. Who knew? Or who cares? :-)
Second chance, what's it perched on?
By the way, the bird flew in and landed about 30-40 feet from me, giving me a side view. I very slowly moved around to get a mostly front view, ending up maybe 25 feet from it. It never budged other than looking around a little. Finally I walked off and that was enough to send it back to the trees.
Various hunting seasons starting up, got to get the orange out, and be more careful about where I go.
I entered clues of hawk, white belly with spots, yellow legs in Google and some harrier images looked very close (except for the leg color, as you say). I'm not good with juvenile red tails, especially with no red on their tails(!), but still learning. The feet remind me of chicken feet.
As for what it's perched on, some kind of annual vegetation. But has to be strong enough to support its weight...perhaps a large sunflower stalk?
(The only other thing I can think of offhand that has a sturdy stem is Japanese knotweed, and I hope you don't have that nearby; and it usually looks more brown when it dies back.)
We have some knotweed around the area, but not here at the house.
But you nailed it on the sunflower. :-)
So wait, was the first one a Brown Thrasher?
OK, I was confused at first because the caption on the talons photo made it sound like another picture of the same bird, not another bird entirely.
When I got back from my walk today and went into the bedroom, there was a red tailed hawk standing atop the birdfeeder pole right outside the window!! It looked just like your photo except for what it was standing on. The pole shook when it took off.
I carry my camera (good one, not my phone) almost all the time because you never know when something might be camera-worthy. Like your guy, nice!
Peter, what's your camera? Something light?
My Canon EOS 60D is a bit heavy for long runs though I've run with in on a sprint O' more interested in shooting the other runners than about my own time.
Photos from the 2019 Sunflower State Games.
I've got a Sony RX10 model 4. Definitely too heavy and too cumbersome to want to run with unless it's in a pack, in which case it's a hassle every time you want to use it. But it's relatively compact, not one of those really big lenses, so I'm happy carrying it. And it gives pretty good results for its size.
I recently resuscitated Nancy's Sony DSC-H1, which I think is a similar size. Excellent camera in its day, I should try and get some shots with it to see how it seems from a modern perspective.
Here's a little guy, seems to be missing almost its whole tail. Though that didn't seem to keep it from wagging what little bit was left.
Can't imagine migration is going to be easy, or even possible.
Palm Warbler. Common around here right now, moving south. Constantly wagging their tails. This is a young one, so the markings on the head are much less distinct than for an adult.
Gail looked it up, says birds regrow their tail feathers pretty quickly. Not sure it will be quick enough for this guy.