Hawk vs Water Moccasin/ The Lost Shots of an Epic Battle
novicesnapper
Registered Users Posts: 445 Major grins
I took these awhile back, on a railroad spur that's by my house, about 30 feet below the embankment. I walked over and heard something crashing down the far embankment. Not sure of what it was, I stood very still and just watched and listened. Having seen wolves, foxes and all manner of wildlife along there. After several more minutes, a hawk came tumbling down the steep embankment. Thinking at first he was injured, I watched him struggling with something. Then it dawned on me, He had about a 3 foot long Water Moccasin wrapped around his legs. The snake was struggling to get the upper hand, but the hawk commanded the situation.
I stealthily ran into the house and grabbed my camera. I started shooting, as the battle raged on. The snake writhing madly, as the hawk jabbed at it, with it's claws buried in the body. I was struggling to get a clean shot through the limbs, but couldn't find a clearing. I got 3 sort of decent shots, with the last being the hawk spotting me, as I ran along the bank trying to get a clear shot. He instinctively spread his wings to cover his kill. The last I saw of him, was him flying along the tracks with the snake still wrapped around his legs and him struggling to fly. He almost went down after several hundred feet, but either dropped the snake or mustered some extra wing power, soaring away. So exciting indeed!
Sorry about the quality, I would have given anything to have a clearing to shoot through.
I stealthily ran into the house and grabbed my camera. I started shooting, as the battle raged on. The snake writhing madly, as the hawk jabbed at it, with it's claws buried in the body. I was struggling to get a clean shot through the limbs, but couldn't find a clearing. I got 3 sort of decent shots, with the last being the hawk spotting me, as I ran along the bank trying to get a clear shot. He instinctively spread his wings to cover his kill. The last I saw of him, was him flying along the tracks with the snake still wrapped around his legs and him struggling to fly. He almost went down after several hundred feet, but either dropped the snake or mustered some extra wing power, soaring away. So exciting indeed!
Sorry about the quality, I would have given anything to have a clearing to shoot through.
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