Hodge Podge

Maestro

This was a blech weekend for me and the camera. I am still trying to remove all the dust off of the sensor. Even with the Visible Dust wet kit, it is tough. Anyhow, I wanted to see if I had broken anything so I headed out. Apparently most avians knew that I was coming and they conspired against me.

This hawk, (I am not sure what it is, a Merlin perhaps?), just hid from me in the tall prairie grass.





It was sort of fun learning how close I could get before it would take off. It toyed with me for about 30 minutes. I almost stepped on this little guy though. It startled the H.E. double hockey sticks out of me so this was the only pic I could get.



The only BIFs I could get were horrible, but nonetheless, BIFs. They aren't worth showing except for identification purposes.





Anybody have a positive identification? I really can't find anything good on-line. It is either a Merlin or Prairie Hawk maybe. I thought it may be a Cooper's Hawk but they are supposed to have red eyes. This one definitely had yellow eyes. I also have read up on a northern harrier which it could be too, but again I am not sure.

The kestrels were all paranoid. This is about as good as it got with them.



Oooooohhhhh boy!!! National Geographic here I come! :scratch

Then my avian friends just started messing with me. Look what I found at the top of a huge pecan tree.



Yes, I think you are right. It is an enormous roadrunner or some cousin to the roadrunner. I've never seen them this high in a tree before.

I noticed this guy following me. What is up with that? :huh



Since I was snapping shots of the kestrels from the middle of the highway, it probably thought that pretty soon I'd be the next roadkill. :rofl

On the way home, I passed one of many small ponds on private property. This one had a heron of all things on it.



Now I wasn't expecting that. :dunno

When I drove in the driveway, I did notice two blackbirds in one of my trees in the backyard. They had some nice irridescent colors to them.



So there you have it. What a weekend of sub par photography. Oh well, you win some, you lose some.

dbaker1221

but I bet you had fun being out!!

It's -25 with wind chill here:cry

Maestro

dbaker1221 wrote:

but I bet you had fun being out!!

It's -25 with wind chill here:cry

Ouch. Yes, it was about 75 degrees warmer where I am. I had fun. You're right, but I just wish some more of the photos had turned out or that the boids were a bit more cooperative.

kdog

Maestro wrote:

Anybody have a positive identification? I really can't find anything good on-line. It is either a Merlin or Prairie Hawk maybe. I thought it may be a Cooper's Hawk but they are supposed to have red eyes. This one definitely had yellow eyes. I also have read up on a northern harrier which it could be too, but again I am not sure.

Northern Harrier. The white band where the body meets the tail gives it away. Here's one I shot last month.



Looks like you had a good outing, despite a few frustrations.

I'm going to go out on a limb and say you might try a little more EC on your BIF shots to properly expose the bird against the bright sky.

Keep 'em coming.
-joel

Maestro

kdog wrote:

Northern Harrier. The white band where the body meets the tail gives it away. Here's one I shot last month.



Looks like you had a good outing, despite a few frustrations.

I'm going to go out on a limb and say you might try a little more EC on your BIF shots to properly expose the bird against the bright sky.

Keep 'em coming.
-joel

Yep that is it. Thanks. I will try to set the EC more and see if that helps. The BIFs were horrible, but time to compose the shots was very short. I haven't really had a lot of luck lately with BIFs. I am going through a bad streak with BIFs. I usually too far away or the shots come out soft and dark. Thanks again for the advice.