The photo shows a Red-tailed Hawk perched on a branch in a huge Oak. I lreally enjoy a 5 mile walk most mornings where the pic was taken at the Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge, about a mile from my old homestead.
This sub-adult raptor flew into this tree, under which I was standing, landing about 2 meters from my head. When he flew off that limb he swooped quickly down toward me and I could feel the wash from his wings as he passed close to my head.
A few minutes earlier this same hawk had knocked, flew into at some speed, a mature Great Blue Heron from a perch in a small tree. Apparently, it liked that spot where the Heron was because the hawk came quickly to perch there. The heron returned to that tree but came to rest in another branch above the hawk.
2nd pic: I was next to the handrail, the one that the hawk is seen on, taking pics of it going after a squirrel in a leafless tree about 50 feet away. It was quite a battle on the part of the hawk but the squirrel had no problem keeping on the far side of the trunk of the tree. All of a sudden it flew toward me and landed next to me to my surprise. As I worked around to get the light at my back he flew back into the tree after the varmit again.
A scene from the battle between the hawk and the squirrel.
The hawk is wedged in the crook of the tree with his head straining down toward his target. His left wing is up above his head and the tips of his tal feathers protrude on the right side of the tree. The reddish brown squirrel is on the left side of the trunk with his head pointing up at the beak of the hawk.
There is a hollow space in this tree so the squirrel can go thru as well as around and up and down.
At one point the squirrel ran up and appeared to hit the bottom of the hawk with his head or it could have been a bite. The two foot tall hawk took off immediately.
The squirrel seems fearless. Apparently, he is the bouncer for this varmint condo because I saw other squirrels in the tree but none came anywhere near the hawk except this one squirrel.
I lug around a 13 pound 800mm lens, a 4.4 pound camera body (not including battery), a tripod that's at least 6 pounds, two or three teleconverters, a flash and battery pack, and some other gear - none of it light....and I never get that close to any hawks. ever.
I get lots at 200 feet away, and if I throw a 2x teleconverter on, I can get acceptable photos....but never get close enough to hawks that I'd have to back up to get a whole hawk in one picture.
I got lucky with this young hawk. He doesn't know that he should fear people. And, I walk a bird refuge every morning as the sun comes up so I'm the first one there.
Your picture is stunning. Isn't love grand. I've never seen the hind talon before. It looks lethal. Thank you for the terrific photo.
The above photos are from a hot spot of activity. Earlier I saw a river otter in the small drying backwater below. Missed that shot. Bobbled a shot of a Belted Kingfisher in the ground fog and poor light. However, I got a dark profile of a mink on a log. All the predators come here for the fish who are becoming crowded in the drying estuary.
gorgeous sky pic there....and I can't say I've e ver had the opportunity to see a bobcat in the wild. Great pics, both of them :)
Seeing how I live in NJ, I don't get to see a number of the realy interesting animals I'd like to get photos of. My favorites tend to be birds (raptors, herons, and hummingbirds would be my favorites), but I would love more variety than NJ usually has... Last winter, I helped organize some local birders to go along the Hudson river on the lookout for bald eagles....something I can't wait for again this year...
I did get a hummingbird finally - my first one after years of wishing....it was difficult to get this one, seeing how wherever he was, he liked to have some plant or something in the way between us, or if not, just liked to move way to fast to ever track. Lighting was working against me too...but I finally got one....
I haven't uploaded it yet...and I don't want to keep taking this thread more off topic.....should start a thread for nature photos...
malice4you wrote:
I did get a hummingbird finally I haven't uploaded it yet.
You really should post the hummingbird pic malice. Pretty please.
Hummingbirds are a challenging target for any photographer. They move like they've been shot out of a gun. They are so tiny.
Now Herons at least hold still awhile when they are stalking prey. And, Bald Eagles perch before they attack. Both birds are huge targets.
I see Great Blue Herons daily in this neck of the woods. And, there are usually one or more Great Egrets (white so easy to spot) around. Both require long lenses. I've only a 12X on the Panasonic FZ8.
