Red-Tailed Hawk - I think we have chick(s)

PrescottPhotog

Hi Everyone,

It has been sooooo windy here for the last week it is almost impossible to get a shot. Even the birds are tucked into the cover so they don't have to fly.

I went to the RT nest a couple days ago and Mama Hawk is off the eggs. I can't see any chicks yet because the nest is so deep. She is now sitting on the edge of the nest and even took off and landed on a branch about 20 yards away and stayed there for quite a while. When she was on the limb she watched the nest but it sure looked like she was a Happy Mom.. never taking her eye off it for more than a second or two.

She hasn't left the nest and Papa Hawk doesn't come around much.. just delivering grub and then gone.

I watched Mama shred a bird the other day that Papa must have dropped off at least 3 hours earlier because he didn't show up when I was there. She ate quite a bit then leaned down into the nest but with the wind blowing the branches I couldn't see what she was up to. But I do know there is no egg sitting going on any more, she just sits or stands on the edge and looks down inside every once in a while.

Since the nest is so deep it might be a few days before the little ones can get to the edge and peek over..

Here are a couple recent shots..

#1 To show how deep the nest is.. this is from last week.

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#2 Just before lunch.. checking out the inside of the nest.

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#3 Serving up lunch.

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#4 Taking a break, checking things out.

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#5 Finally off the nest but never taking her eyes off it.

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#6 And really enjoying a break after over a month of sitting on the nest.

JavaLover

Awww...I can't wait! Nice photos, as always.

Maestro

I know what you mean by the wind. It has been the same around here. You did a great job nailing the focus on the hawk in and amongst the leaves and branches. Great work!

Ric Grupe

It was nice of the red-tail to pick a birch tree...it makes for a very aesthetically pleasing shot.

Jim T

Ric Grupe wrote:

It was nice of the red-tail to pick a birch tree...it makes for a very aesthetically pleasing shot.

The birch really adds to the beauty of the hawk.

PrescottPhotog

JavaLover wrote:

Awww...I can't wait! Nice photos, as always.

Hi JavaLover.. Thanks for the compliment. I can't wait either, especially after over a month of checking on them. I feel like I should have been in the delivery room..

PrescottPhotog

Maestro wrote:

I know what you mean by the wind. It has been the same around here. You did a great job nailing the focus on the hawk in and amongst the leaves and branches. Great work!

Hi Stephen.. The wind finally let up to about half speed here today and much cooler by about 15 degrees. The sun was shinning brilliantly so it was a good day.

Thanks for the compliment on the focus. As I mentioned in my last post, I couldn't do it without Live View at this distance. I thought it was a gimmick, thinking what in the would would someone want with Live View on a Pro body (the 40D has it too). Well it sure changed my mind. Still at this distance the center focus point fills a spot about the size of the hawks head so you still have to wait for the breeze to blow the leaves out of the way. It makes for long periods of looking through the viewfinder until the right moment comes along.

PrescottPhotog

Ric Grupe wrote:

It was nice of the red-tail to pick a birch tree...it makes for a very aesthetically pleasing shot.

Hi Ric.. It sure does help the overall photo and look. Now if I could figure out a way to get rid of about 12 inches of that tiny branch that has about a dozen leaves blocking the front of the nest I would have a clear shot of the whole nest. But it is up in the air about 75 feet. If I get a breeze out of the west it blows it out of the way every once in a while but you have to sit there staring through your viewfinder for the right moment.. a real neck killer.

PrescottPhotog

Jim T wrote:

The birch really adds to the beauty of the hawk.

Hi Jim.. Thanks for viewing and for your compliment.

Ric Grupe

PrescottPhotog wrote:

you have to sit there staring through your viewfinder for the right moment.. a real neck killer.

How about binoculars or a spotting scope and a remote shutter release? scratch