Unusual Red-Tail Encounter

SciurusNiger

I've never seen anything like this before and hope to never see it again.

I hadn't taken more than the first sip of my first cup of coffee this morning when I happened to spot the young red-tailed hawk sitting in the maple tree next door. The light was too beautiful to pass up the opportunity so I dropped everything to try and get at least one shot through an (opened) window. When that was accomplished, it was Southpark time. Meaning I bundled up like a little kid and took the camera out back.

The good news is that the hawk had apparently already eaten so wasn't going to be disturbed any time soon. (Not even by my disturbingly faux-pas attire.) The bad news is that whatever it had eaten for breakfast didn't sit well at all, and instead of taking off (as I thought was about to happen), I ended up with these....








( Here's an "action shot". :huh )




And one more burp, just for good measure.




I love that I then get such an innocent look.




After this kind of excitement, I didn't expect anything was going to top it so I went inside to warm up a bit. I'd filled the card in the camera so while I was downloading photos I snuck a peek out of one of the upstairs windows and to my shock I then spotted one of the Cooper's hawks on the other side of the big tree from this red-tail. I raced downstairs, grabbed the D70 with the 80-200mm lens but as I got back outside, the red-tail went sailing off. It stopped a couple doors further down and then, I'll be doggoned if the Cooper didn't go after it!

There was no way to pull off any kind of shot but it was amazing to watch that adult Coop chase the young red-tail through the trees until it headed fully up and out of the immediate area. The Cooper returned a while later but the adult is no poser like the younger one so while I got some stick-picking shots, they're only for ID and the record, so to speak.

I'm still in awe....

dlplumer

Fabulous series

goldilocksandmy3bears

SciurusNiger wrote:

I've never seen anything like this before and hope to never see it again.

I hadn't taken more than the first sip of my first cup of coffee this morning when I happened to spot the young red-tailed hawk sitting in the maple tree next door. The light was too beautiful to pass up the opportunity so I dropped everything to try and get at least one shot through an (opened) window. When that was accomplished, it was Southpark time. Meaning I bundled up like a little kid and took the camera out back.

The good news is that the hawk had apparently already eaten so wasn't going to be disturbed any time soon. (Not even by my disturbingly faux-pas attire.) The bad news is that whatever it had eaten for breakfast didn't sit well at all, and instead of taking off (as I thought was about to happen), I ended up with these....

I'm still in awe....

...WOW! :jawdropI think that is def. a once in a lifetime shot! Did you go and see what it was that he "threw up"??... sorry I'm gross like that (I took multiple pictures of my placenta when I had my first son)

bfjr

neat story

cool series , yeah what is it, I wanna know too

Maestro

What a fantastic series! They are great behavioral images showing the hawk do what many just do not see, but I do not think it was sick nor had an upset stomach. I could be wrong but some of the non-digestible parts of the prey will come up like this in balls. I think owls do this too. However I am not an ornithologist so I could be way off base.

SciurusNiger

No, I didn't go check the contents of that big wad (though doing so was my first reaction!) I may later today, if it's still there.

And yes, owls do regurgitate undigestible bits (the result is called a "pellet", I believe). I was unaware that raptors did the same thing, though it makes sense considering how they are built and what they eat. As a wildlife rehabilitator, I work with fur, not feathers, so everything these guys do is a real learning experience for me.

Barracuda Bob

How did she catch such a wonderful image?

Well, it's easy when you're dressed like this:




It's important for wildlife photographers to *blend* into the surrounding flora...mmm hmmm.

Nice hat.

thorin

Hawk Regurgitation
Yep the regurgitation of indigestible bits in normal for a Red Tail. Lincoln has these shots on Redtail.com frequently.

KurtPreston

Laugh! And to think I buy camoflagued blinds trying to get that 'right moment' in wildlife shots. And all this time I should have been buying pink and purple outfits!

Super series PJ, the clarity on that gob of whatever the heck it was is amazing

spechtal

Very cool shots. I guess a bird's gotta do what a bird's gotta do...even if it is foul-tasting

redleash

Wow! All I can say is, "WOW!" Great series and a wonderful story to go with it. Thanks for sharing!

Lauren

dbaker1221

fantastic shots:ivar :ivar I am glad that I ate much earlier

leahe

Incedible series. I didn't know that raptors did the same as owls. Very interesting. I was thinking of getting some camo clothing, but I may have to revisit that idea and something a little more appropriate to shoot wildlife in.

leaforte

Very interesting.

NorthernFocus

Great series The last image is too much... The expression on the birds face says it all.

Harryb

Marvelous set

SciurusNiger

leahe wrote:

Incedible series. I didn't know that raptors did the same as owls. Very interesting. I was thinking of getting some camo clothing, but I may have to revisit that idea and something a little more appropriate to shoot wildlife in.

You know, I used to be all worried about spooking the wildlife with my rather eccentric shooting ensembles, but I have a sneaking suspicion that it works in my favor. They stick around just so they can laugh at me.

raptorcaptor

Maestro wrote:

What a fantastic series! They are great behavioral images showing the hawk do what many just do not see, but I do not think it was sick nor had an upset stomach. I could be wrong but some of the non-digestible parts of the prey will come up like this in balls. I think owls do this too. However I am not an ornithologist so I could be way off base.

I know Osprey's will regurgitate fishbones and other undigestable parts!
Cool set of photos!