Red Tailed Hawk in flight

Maestro

These pics are actually from November 2006, but I went back and reprocessed because originally, not knowing too much about post processing, I had cropped these too much, did not apply any sharpening, etc... What started all of this is that a friend had asked for some 8X10 prints of some of these shots. They did not turn out at all. It was embarrassing, so I went back to the originals. Anyhow, I am happier with these compared to the originals and the tail feathers are nicely backlit in some of the images. I would have preferred more light on the face, but we can't win them all.

















I am not sure what was keeping this red tailed hawk nearby but it kept making repeated passes by me before flying away to a distant tree. I left after that and to this day, I still see several red tailed hawks in this general area.

PrescottPhotog

Maestro wrote:

Anyhow, I am happier with these compared to the originals and the tail feathers are nicely backlit in some of the images. I would have preferred more light on the face, but we can't win them all.

Hi Stephen, The Red-Tailed hawks around here are very skittish and won't let you closer than a couple hundred yards minimum. Yours must have had something on the ground it wanted or it would probably have been gone. I found the RT's to be the most vocal hawks of any I have ever heard. They are always screaming, whether just sitting in a tree or cruisin for dinner. I have also noticed that they hang in the same area.. and some in the same tree day after day. Creatures of habit I guess, especially if there are lots of rodents around.

Yours are nice shots for a raptor that is not easy to get close to.

Giphsub

Great shots Stephen! I did the same thing with some older shots recently and was much happier with the reprocessed shots.

BBiggs

Neat pictures! I like how bright the tail feathers are in the first three shots! I think out of the bunch #1 and #2 are my favorites!

Maestro

PrescottPhotog wrote:

Hi Stephen, The Red-Tailed hawks around here are very skittish and won't let you closer than a couple hundred yards minimum. Yours must have had something on the ground it wanted or it would probably have been gone. I found the RT's to be the most vocal hawks of any I have ever heard. They are always screaming, whether just sitting in a tree or cruisin for dinner. I have also noticed that they hang in the same area.. and some in the same tree day after day. Creatures of habit I guess, especially if there are lots of rodents around.

Yours are nice shots for a raptor that is not easy to get close to.

Thanks Chris. In my year or so of seriously watching for these hawks, you are correct in that they tend to stay in the same areas when prey and suitable habitat are nearby. There are 3 red tailed hawks that I know you will see about every other day on a consistent basis. Getting a good shot of them is difficult part.

Thanks for the comments.

Maestro

Giphsub wrote:

Great shots Stephen! I did the same thing with some older shots recently and was much happier with the reprocessed shots.

Thanks. It's amazing what a little knowledge of post processing can do.:D

Harryb

Oldies but goodies.

Maestro

BBiggs wrote:

Neat pictures! I like how bright the tail feathers are in the first three shots! I think out of the bunch #1 and #2 are my favorites!

Thanks BBiggs. Those two are my favorites too!