Red Tail Hawk story lots of captures
It is always good to have a camera handy. This happened back in April 07.
I stopped to do some cctv camera work at the shooting range I belong to. Saw this Red Tail sitting on the fence. Could not believe he did not take off when I drove up. So I grab the D50 with 70-300 on it start shooting. Never had a hawk so close and sit still for so long. Kept shooting and he let me get within 12 to 10 ft of him as I snuck under the range cover.
After about 30 shots he turns and is looking away from me, takes off flys under the canopy and boom he drops right on a rabbit on the other side of the canopy. So I let him settle down with his lunch and then see if he will let get more shots and he does not care he just wants to eat.
Could care less about the guy with camera. Never made any threatning posture or gave any sign that he cared I was there. I would shoot and back off give him a few minutes, go forward shoot, I moved to within 6 feet on the final shots. I would have backed off if I seen he was getting nervous but he did not. Pretty amazing. He finally took off after about 10 mintues after I had finished shooting and went on with my work.
Shot over 150 shots until I filled up my card. Here are few.
Who are you?
I m ready for my close up
or how about this pose?
Hey whats that
Excuse me gotta go
Lunch time
Only time I have been this close to a Wild Hawk was when I captured a Red Tail that had been shot and had a broken wing, at a wildlife refuge. Chased him around a bush until I could throw my jacket over him and grab him. Took him to a Raptor rescue organization where they fixed him up.
So maybe it was payback for helping his brethren.
I stopped to do some cctv camera work at the shooting range I belong to. Saw this Red Tail sitting on the fence. Could not believe he did not take off when I drove up. So I grab the D50 with 70-300 on it start shooting. Never had a hawk so close and sit still for so long. Kept shooting and he let me get within 12 to 10 ft of him as I snuck under the range cover.
After about 30 shots he turns and is looking away from me, takes off flys under the canopy and boom he drops right on a rabbit on the other side of the canopy. So I let him settle down with his lunch and then see if he will let get more shots and he does not care he just wants to eat.
Could care less about the guy with camera. Never made any threatning posture or gave any sign that he cared I was there. I would shoot and back off give him a few minutes, go forward shoot, I moved to within 6 feet on the final shots. I would have backed off if I seen he was getting nervous but he did not. Pretty amazing. He finally took off after about 10 mintues after I had finished shooting and went on with my work.
Shot over 150 shots until I filled up my card. Here are few.
Who are you?
I m ready for my close up
or how about this pose?
Hey whats that
Excuse me gotta go
Lunch time
Only time I have been this close to a Wild Hawk was when I captured a Red Tail that had been shot and had a broken wing, at a wildlife refuge. Chased him around a bush until I could throw my jacket over him and grab him. Took him to a Raptor rescue organization where they fixed him up.
So maybe it was payback for helping his brethren.
Chris K. NANPA Member
http://kadvantage.smugmug.com/
http://kadvantage.smugmug.com/
0
Comments
Wished I had taken my camera with me when I went to the shops on Friday, had a Kestrel fly within inches of me, pounced on a small bird and flew off with it. I was no more than 12' from the small bird when it was attacked, it was all over within 3 seconds
Tim
Images in the Backcountry
My SmugMug Customizations | Adding CSS to Your Site | SEO for the Photographer | Locate Your Page/Widget Number | SmugMug Help Desk
http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
www.capture-the-pixel.com
Hi, Great photos, excellent narrative, thanks for taking the time to tell the story. Sounds like quite an experience, they don't happen very often !!!
Prescott Photog, Chris - " One Shot, One Still "
'
Canon CPS Member
SmugMug Pro User - www.PrescottOutdoors.net
NAPP Member..Click for Info
I have never seen that happen, so up close and personal. Let alone have a way to document it. I did leave out the blood and guts shots he did an efficient job of dissecting the rabbit, that was something to observe.
http://kadvantage.smugmug.com/
http://woofwoof.smugmug.com
Dave
A hawk used to visit our garden and sit on the fence
but frankly looking
at it at even 20 feet was unnerving! !:yikes
Super effort!