Sometimes...things just don't go as planned. I had located and set up on a perch that was being used regularly by a pair of Mississippi Kites. This particular morning, I got set up prior to sun rise in hopes of catching the Kites basking in the morning sun. I heard them calling and saw them flying over the trees a ways down from me. I thought, here we go. I then saw something flying through the trees toward me and got ready. It was this Red-tailed Hawk! He flew RIGHT to the perch where the Kites had been sitting in days previous. Wouldn't you know it, not 30 seconds after the hawk took up residence on the perch, the Kites flew over and came toward the perch tree. A verbal exchange occured and I guess in Raptor talk, the hawk told them where to go and they did.
So...I made the most of this and got some nice images of this hawk that morning. Soon the sun came up over the canopy of trees and the scene changed to gold as the morning glow of the sun bathed the perch tree in wonderfully warm golden light.
This particular perch tree is an old tree that was struck by lighting some years back and died. Most of the small limbs are now gone and only the bigger limbs remain. I got two mornings with this Hawk on the same perch. Only one though had good light, the other was a foggy/overcast day. Never did get the shots of the Kites though.
Images taken with a D300, 600VR, 1.4tc, f/7.1, ISO 400, 1/1000th, +.7EV
Wow. Looks like you had perfect photography conditions as well as a great subject.
The detail you have attained is superb.
You could increase the amount of sky below the perch to make it the same amount that is above the birds head
to give it more balance but not super necessary. Well done, just love raptor shots.
Loverly juvie, light, perch, and pose. Perahps a tad more sharpening on the face would improve it. Overall: superb.
BIRDS AS ART Blog: great info and lessons, lots of images with our legendary BAA educational Captions; we will not sell you junk. 30+ years of long lens experience/e-mail with gear questions.
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ps: As it is not breeding season you might try playing a tape of the kites call near the perch tree. Be sure to shut the tape off as soon as they get curious.
BIRDS AS ART Blog: great info and lessons, lots of images with our legendary BAA educational Captions; we will not sell you junk. 30+ years of long lens experience/e-mail with gear questions.
BIRDS AS ART Online Store: we will not sell you junk. 35 years of long lens experience. Please e-mail with gear questions.
Check out the new SONY e-Guide and videos that I did with Patrick Sparkman here. Ten percent discount for BPN members,
Red-tailed Hawk in Golden light
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