Streetfight-1 (split in 2 posts, dial up warning)

PrescottPhotog

Hi Everyone,

I wasn't going to go out yesterday as it was once again pretty windy. But since I saw a pair of bald eagles hanging around on Tuesday I thought I would go out late to see if they were around.

When I got to the lake I noticed a Harrier paying special attention to the shore at one spot. I snuck up and saw that it had what I later saw was a Coot. It must have been killed by something else because I don't think the Harrier could tackle it, especially after some of the Coot fights I've seen, and for the fact that when he tried to haul it away he couldn't lift it.

He must have thought he had a feast until his friends showed up and then it turned into a free-for-all and downright brawl.

Keep in mind when viewing these that they were taken late in the day (lots of heavy shadow) and that I had to crawl on my hands and knees through the grass tugging my 500 while trying not to spook them, I was totally in the open except for the 18 inch high grass that the wind kept blowing in front of my lens. A couple have a bit of clutter in them.

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Ann McRae

Oh my!!!! Wonderful shots and great lighting!!!

PrescottPhotog

Ann McRae wrote:

Oh my!!!! Wonderful shots and great lighting!!!

Thanks Ann, The sun was setting pretty fast and all these guys kept circling the other hawks on the ground. Most were pretty civil but some got pretty daring and tried to snatch the Coot, but they couldn't lift it more than a few inches, it was to heavy.

saurora

I read your 2nd post first, but this one is pretty amazing, too! Such great lighting and amazingly sharp shots!

bfjr

excellent action, great catch

riddim_maker

Great action shots there Chris
#10 & 11 are the winners in this set of very good shots
Got to love that 500

Richard

Wonderful shots, Chris. The street fight was terrific and these are simply beautiful. clap.

Cheers,

Gale

Beautiful shots

Harriers can catch a coot. I have seen it.
Be suprised what these (all of them) can snag and fly off with

PrescottPhotog

saurora wrote:

I read your 2nd post first, but this one is pretty amazing, too! Such great lighting and amazingly sharp shots!

Hi Saurora, Thank you again for the comments.

PrescottPhotog

bfjr wrote:

excellent action, great catch

Hi Ben, Thanks for the comments.

PrescottPhotog

riddim_maker wrote:

Great action shots there Chris
#10 & 11 are the winners in this set of very good shots
Got to love that 500

Hi Russ, Thanks for viewing. "Love that 500" except when having to do the belly crawl through duck poop and brush, or holding it steady on a monopod in a stiff wind. I am so in the open out here that without it my captures would look like I was in the next county.

PrescottPhotog

rsinmadrid wrote:

Wonderful shots, Chris. The street fight was terrific and these are simply beautiful. clap. Cheers,

Hi Richard, Thank you for the nice comments on both posts.

PrescottPhotog

Gale wrote:

Beautiful shots. Harriers can catch a coot. I have seen it.
Be suprised what these (all of them) can snag and fly off with

Hi Gale, Thanks for viewing. I've seen Harriers buzz the ducks and coots but never go after one. This one might have but I got there to late. Most of the time I just see the remains (a few feathers) of their catches in the high brush. They kept trying to haul this one off into the brush but it was to heavy. Since they were stuck in the open you could see the tempers and instincts that make them the true raptors they are.