This handsome fellow came just before dusk to check out the menu at my feeders. He went to bed hungry, but stayed around long enough for about 8 photos.
Nikon D70 28-300mm with 2xTC
ISO 200
SS 1/40
f5.3
82mm
I am thinking this is a SS but please correct me if its a Coopers. Sometimes it is sooo hard to tell!
I welcome your PP suggestions.
A very nice capture indeed Sue...this has a good feel to it..I like the pose and the facial expression. My suggestion would be to open up the mid-tones on your bird and selective sharpen the feather contour lines by about 2 percent, and give the eye area about 1 percent...good show...:cool:
Did not see the exposure compensation but guessing the histogram was underexposed. I'm guessing you probably needed + 1 2/3? Opening up in PS as Gus correctly suggests can bring problems, best to nail the exposure. Opening shadows introduces noise.
You sure got close to that bird and hope you get another chance !! Neat !!!
It sure looks like a Cooper's hawk to me but what do I know? You sure did a nice job of nailing the focus on his eye but the rest of the image does look a bit soft and washed out. Try a bump in contrast and see if that doesn't help a bit...
Difficult to tell a Cooper from a Sharp-shinned. I think it is a SS simply because it has a stocky look and the Cooper is slender, for me the only sure way is when flying the leading edge of the Cooper is straight across & SS are pushed forward. Also breast streaks are finer on the Cooper
Tips provided by other responders are good advice.
Do the Hawks hang around the vineyards or orchards?
What are the odds this is a Northern Harrier?? Somebody on another thread I post to said he thought it was.
How would one tell the difference? Does a NH have a much whiter face? And maybe bolder white eyebrows? My Peterson's only shows them from below.
Whatever this bird is, it has taken a fancy to my little birds at my feeders. I am not sure how many different raptors have been visiting me, but I did see three together one day in the big conifers near my house. I quite often hear them calling "kee, kee, kee". It (they?) is/are very often here at my house, and have gotten two meals that I know of :(. I was just sitting at my desk in front of the window, glanced up and there he (she?) was - sitting on the top of the feeder pole, not 10 feet away from me. I shot off a bunch of quick ones through the window then went to open the door to get a clearer shot, and it lazily flew away when I did that.
On other occasions, it has sat up on the rail over my gate - about 12 feet from my front door. I opened the door and actually went outside onto the porch (about 10 feet from it) and it wasn't too concerned about me at all - looked right at me and then looked away but didn't leave for quite a while ... I happily snapped and snapped and snapped ...
Maybe I am seeing a whole bunch of different birds - a CH, a SSH and a NH??? Cripes, I feel dumb :(
Yes, Gus H, it's a nice place to live - a tad expensive, but it's my hometown. My family has been here since 1898. I live in an orchard but it is very close to a forested area.
Thanks for the tip on the exposure, Alfred and for the pointers in PP, Gus C. (This is confusing with two Gusses :D) I don't know how to selectively sharpen ... help???
I am still struggling with my long lenses not wanting to focus and being very s-l-o-w.
Cheers,
Sue
Last edited by Sue Thomson; 01-14-2009 at 03:33 AM.
Another SSH
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