Sharp-shinned with Lunch

[Sue Thomson]

Edited to add: What is the reason there is no thumb on the index page for this thread and for my hummer thread?

This hawk surprised me one day and I was having so many problems with the focusing on the Nikon that I grabbed the Z5 instead, as I knew it was working properly. The bg is cluttered and I have debated about whether I should lift the bird out to a more natural setting in PS. My issue with that is that it takes the action out of context and reality. These were taken inside my wood shed and the equipment you see is the landlord's herbicide sprayer for the orchard.

I also debated about trying a Gaussian blur on the background but I am not terribly proficient with PS7 and am not sure how to do this without messing up the finer details on the edges of the birds. Do you have any suggestions for that?

The bird actually nailed its prey at my feeders, took it to the gate on the shed, then when I got there, camera in hand, and started shooting (forgot to turn on the flash), it brought its lunch inside the shed - closer to me. It was only about eight feet from me when I took these pictures (I finally remembered the flash) and a whole lot more. I have about 10 pics of him defeathering what I think is either a female house sparrow or a female house finch.

I found it rather odd that he would come closer when I was standing there yelling at him and waving my arms and trying to make him go away - in between shots, of course :D.

Someone suggested the hawk was using me as cover so it wouldn't get swarmed by the other little birds. Could that be true?

When he finished defeathering it, he picked it up and flew off with it.

http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb174/grammafreddy/birds/2008-12-19-PICT2390.jpg


I actually debated about this being a juvenile Cooper's instead of a SS because the tail feathers in this shot below look to be shorter on the outside. What do you think??? SS or CH??

http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb174/grammafreddy/birds/2008-12-19-PICT2391.jpg


KONICA MINOLTA DIGITAL CAMERA
Make - KONICA MINOLTA
Model - DiMAGE Z5
Software - DiMAGE Z5 v1.01
ExifOffset - 384
ExposureTime - 1/60 seconds
FNumber - 4.50
ExposureProgram - Normal program
ISOSpeedRatings - 160
BrightnessValue - 2.30
ExposureBiasValue - 0.00
MaxApertureValue - F 4.50
MeteringMode - Multi-segment
LightSource - Auto
Flash - Flash fired, auto mode, return light not detected
FocalLength - 44.37 mm
CustomRendered - Normal process
ExposureMode - Auto
WhiteBalance - Auto
DigitalZoomRatio - 0.00 x
FocalLengthIn35mmFilm - 271 mm
SceneCaptureType - Standard
GainControl - High gain up
Contrast - Normal
Saturation - Normal
Sharpness - Normal
SubjectDistanceRange - Close view


Thanks in advance for any suggestions, etc.

Cheers,
Sue

[Alfred Forns]

I like it just as presented It is a record image and one well done !!!

If you want to tweak would be fine but no mayor makeovers Great find and fine capture !!!

[Gus Cobos]

Hi Sue,
I like the capture...I only wish the black handle was not touching the birds face...looking fprward to your next one...:cool:

[William Malacarne]

Sue Thomson; Edited to add: What is the reason there is no thumb on the index page for this thread and for my hummer thread?

I am not sure but I think you are not getting thumbs because you are linking to the photo and not uploading it to BPN.

Bill

[Sue Thomson]

Oh.

Okay.

Thank you.

Will try this again??? Testing ...

*sigh*
Sue

[Sue Thomson]

Still not there. I used the "manage attachments" thingy this time. Did I do something wrong??? Maybe the mods have to approve it first? I see the hummer pic is now there ...

Cheers,
Sue

[William Malacarne]

I am not real sure but I think the thumb picture is only linked to the first post, otherwise the thumb picture would always be changing every time a new picture was posted within a thread.

Bill