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Thread: Sparrowhawk (f)

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    Wildlife Moderator Steve Kaluski's Avatar
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    Default Sparrowhawk (f)

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    A subject that is incredibly shy and will not tolerate getting close to on foot, you just can't rock up and stick a 500mm lens at it, it would just go by the time you are less than a 100m away.

    With 'lockdown' easing, I took up an offer of shooting with an old friend of mine who had this female Sparrowhawk visiting a small location of his, she must have had a brood because she was coming down on a regular basis and clearing the road kill put out. So... Wood pigeon in hand (road kill) we set-up things around 7.00am and got quickly back into the hide, but that morning she decided to visit later and after 4 hours finally showed. Allowing her to settle and just waiting meant that she was not phased by any camera shutters going off and with the camera set-up I could easily swop from R5 to 1DX MKIII on the double mount rig creating different options and as the light was very variable and so having the 1DX3 I knew I could easy push the ISO if required.

    Thanks to those who commented or views the last posting

    Steve

    Subject: Sparrowhawk (f) (Accipiter nisus)
    Location: UK
    Camera: Canon EOS-1D X Mark III
    Lens: EF200-400mm f/4L IS USM
    Exposure: 1/1000s at f/5.6 ISO4000
    Original format: Landscape, very slight crop
    Processed via: LRCC 9.4 & PSCC2020
    Post Production: It’s ALL about what you do with the tools and not, which brand of tool you use.

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    Well done Steve the details are superb. Love the feather on the head. Your sparrow hawk falls somewhere close to our ,Sharp-shinned hawk. Accipiter family. Accipiter's in general very shy and reclusive birds. The iris and the feather detail again are superb especially like the fine detail on the shoulder and back. Love the dark background. TFS

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    Avian Moderator Brian Sump's Avatar
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    Like everything about this one Steve. Dramatic lighting works nicely, the dark bkg helps the subject pop and that feather...... man that's so sweet.

    Super tone and textures from my book. Well shown sir!

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    BPN Member dankearl's Avatar
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    Nice image, feathers on head a big plus...
    Dan Kearl

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    BPN Member Dorian Anderson's Avatar
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    Such a strong image, Steve! He really cracks on that dark BG. Detail is excellent, and the feathers on the head are super cool. I also appreciate the low angle - my kinda frame! A very memorable frame....

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    Wildlife Moderator Steve Kaluski's Avatar
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    Thanks folks, it's the first time I've used a 'bait' such as this, but as it's road kill and something the subject would go for, I think I can justify the shot.

    The BKG is pure fluke, as I mentioned the light was so variable, you will see with other shots albeit the sun will have moved round how the BKG changes. I would have also liked if she had also stood on the carcass and looked head on, they are such pretty birds, be interesting to see your species Kevin.

    Since shooting that day the Sparrowhak has not been seen, you can instantly tell when she is around, there is a deathly hush, you can hear a pin drop, but a week or so later we found the reason... A Tawny owl with chicks has been in the area and shots have been taken around 9-9.30pm of her feeding the chicks and so our guess is this is whats keeping her away sadly. So, if the Tawny is around over the next few months lets see if we can get some of her perhaps...
    Post Production: It’s ALL about what you do with the tools and not, which brand of tool you use.

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    BPN Member Dorian Anderson's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Steve Kaluski View Post
    Thanks folks, it's the first time I've used a 'bait' such as this, but as it's road kill and something the subject would go for, I think I can justify the shot.

    The BKG is pure fluke, as I mentioned the light was so variable, you will see with other shots albeit the sun will have moved round how the BKG changes. I would have also liked if she had also stood on the carcass and looked head on, they are such pretty birds, be interesting to see your species Kevin.

    Since shooting that day the Sparrowhak has not been seen, you can instantly tell when she is around, there is a deathly hush, you can hear a pin drop, but a week or so later we found the reason... A Tawny owl with chicks has been in the area and shots have been taken around 9-9.30pm of her feeding the chicks and so our guess is this is whats keeping her away sadly. So, if the Tawny is around over the next few months lets see if we can get some of her perhaps...
    Agree with you about the bait in this instance. Totally legit as far as I'm concerned. Now tethering a live pigeon or starling as some do? That's going to far. You also kept the image centered on the predator versus the prey, so it doesn't tell some fake story. I excoriated one guy for hanging a rabbit in a tree and attracting a hawk, his misleading implication being that the hawk killed the rabbit and took it up into the tree. Your prey is on the ground, just as roadkill would have been. You could have just stumbled into this shot. None of us would have known you didn't were it not for your disclosure. Bravo for the honesty.

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    Wildlife Moderator Steve Kaluski's Avatar
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    None of us would have known you didn't were it not for your disclosure. Bravo for the honesty.
    Cheers Dorian, I have always been honest in both posting & my feedback, some folk are as you say, less so, and Artie does ask folk to mention this in postings, thanks again.
    Post Production: It’s ALL about what you do with the tools and not, which brand of tool you use.

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    BPN Member Andreas Liedmann's Avatar
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    Hi Steve ... i am happy for you , that you have a friend to make this possible .
    Super cool image and the additional feather is taking this up a notch .
    Lovely processed ... as most of the times . Stunning fine details and the sharpness is right on .... how it should be , IMHO .

    BTW i do see no difference in baiting ( like this) or any other method to attract the subject closer to the photographer .... so no point of discussion , if the photographer is declaring such influence on the subjects

    TFS Andreas

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    BPN Member Dorian Anderson's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Andreas Liedmann View Post
    Hi Steve ... i am happy for you , that you have a friend to make this possible .
    Super cool image and the additional feather is taking this up a notch .
    Lovely processed ... as most of the times . Stunning fine details and the sharpness is right on .... how it should be , IMHO .

    BTW i do see no difference in baiting ( like this) or any other method to attract the subject closer to the photographer .... so no point of discussion , if the photographer is declaring such influence on the subjects

    TFS Andreas
    Come to the US/Canada and announce that you plan to bait Great Gray Owls with live mice. You'll be lucky to escape with your life and gear. Doing so habituates the owls to humans and leads to owls being struck by cars as they approach people for handouts. So yeah, there's a huge difference.

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    BPN Member Andreas Liedmann's Avatar
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    Hey Dorian ... sorry you might get me wrong , was not talking about using living bait !!!!!! I do not think it is allowed in any country .....

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    BPN Member Dorian Anderson's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Andreas Liedmann View Post
    Hey Dorian ... sorry you might get me wrong , was not talking about using living bait !!!!!! I do not think it is allowed in any country .....
    Got it, cheers!

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    My favorite part is the feathers on top of the head. Nice pose and framing.

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