Two days ago I posted one of these seven photos to my blog and said you’d be seeing more of this hawk soon. Today I keep my promise. Or follow through with my threat, depending on how you look at it.
1/5000, f/5.6, ISO 640, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
This presumed male, juvenile Red-tailed Hawk was the first bird I found and photographed three days ago in Box Elder County. He was at just about the right distance for takeoff and flight shots so that’s what I set up and prepared for.
But this guy was sneaky. He looked intently to his left, as if he’d spotted prey out there on the flats, but at the last second he…
1/5000, f/5.6, ISO 640, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
twisted on his perch and took off in the opposite direction. If I didn’t know better, I’d swear he deliberately tried to fake me out.
This photo and the following five are sequential shots in a burst without any skips.
1/4, f/5.6, ISO 640, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
This is the photo I posted two days ago.
1/5000, f/5.6, ISO 640, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
Liftoff. This is the last photo that will include the rocky perch he’d been on.
1/5000, f/5.6, ISO 640, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
This isn’t my favorite wing position but I’m including the shot for the sake of continuity. And I do like the feather texturing on the underside of his left wing.
1/5000, f/5.6, ISO 640, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
Here he’s using his wings to literally pull his body through the air in a near-horizontal direction. I’m not sure I have another photo quite like this one in my entire portfolio.
My, what long legs you have!
1/5000, f/5.6, ISO 640, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
The last photo I’ll include. I’ve always been particularly fond of images like this one where the wings span diagonally across the frame from corner to corner. I almost clipped his left wingtip, but I’ve heard that “almost” only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades so I’m not going to worry about how close I came.
I actually got 13 additional photos of him in flight with no body parts clipped or cut off but none of them were tack sharp like these are. Most of them were sharp enough that, at this low resolution, I doubt that my readers would notice any softness.
But I’d know. Besides, when it comes to photos in blog posts there can be too much of a good thing.
Ron
Note: On this trip to the area I’ve been visiting all summer it became obvious almost immediately that the number of red-tails had decreased dramatically. After a long and successful breeding season, many of the juveniles and even some of the adults have dispersed.
Beautiful series!
Scroll up, scroll down. Repeat. No favorites, just can’t stop scrolling.
I think his legs were growing with each shot.
“I think his legs were growing with each shot”
Now that would be a neat trick!
Just beautiful. And almost impossibly athletic as birds so often are. A promise I am very glad you kept.
EC, that was a promise I wasn’t going to forget, not with these photos waiting in the wings.
Sensational series, thanks for sharing!
Charlotte Norton
Thanks, Charlotte.
Body twisted in impossible ways, but that head steady, steady, straight like you told us before, so we know you didn’t fake-adjust the angles! Just gorgeous!
Ha, “fake-adjust isn’t my style, Carolyn. Never will be.
Outstanding shots! Worthy of the ‘Ron Dudley Hawk Guest Suite.’ Agree with everything Everett shared.
I hope you’re still enjoying those prints, Kathleen.
Ron the hawk suite wall receives rave reviews from everyone who visits our home. It really is a show piece! Thanks to you 🙂
❤️
All great, but there is something about that 4th shot I really like.
Can’t get enough of those RTs.
“Can’t get enough of those RTs”
Michael, Lately I’ve been giving you plenty of opportunity to get your fill of them, that’s for sure.
A great series. The precision in those moves is so sharp.
Thanks, Arwen.
Wow Ron – threat or promise we on the receiving end will take it either way. These are really super special. I will try not to say anything here about envy. This has to be the very best series of a Red-tail hawk taking flight that I have ever seen. Every viewer will see them differently of course, but my favorites are 2 and 4, but all are just perfect. In the 2nd his intense focused look is really special. He looks like he is locked in right from the very start. If these were mine I would frame all from #2 to the last and have them all around my office here.
Thank you very much, Everett. I’m pretty fond of these photos myself.
“My , what long legs you have!” AND what long wings, as well–just dynamic
shots of such a beautifully proportioned and athletic bird–a real treat to see !
Kris, I think his legs in photo #5 are nothing less than impressive.
Wonderful series, Ron…….. 🙂 Body positions one would never really see if the action wasn’t stopped!
Gold finches passing through are still lingering and “stocking up”. Other than the Magpies it IS Labor Day Quiet…….
Thanks, Judy. I noticed this morning that birds are beginning to pick up a little at Bear River MBR. Finally!
Love these! I really expected you to comment on the deliciously cool (almost chilly) temperature this morning. Relieved from the oppressive heat, at last!
Sue, when your comment email came in on my phone this morning I was already up at Bear River MBR and it was 51° for a short while before the sun came up over the mtns. I actually used my heater, for the first time months.
Just spectacular Ron! A beautiful series. A clinic in take off and flight shots. Really glad you didn’t bite on the fake left. He’s going to have to get up a little earlier in the morning to fake you out.
Thank you, Mark. Truth be told I was faked out for a split second but thankfully I recovered in time (thanks in part to plenty of room in the frame.)
“Faking us out”. Fortunately that is one of the things wildlife does best. Love the series because you can clearly imagine the way the wings manipulate the air to achieve lift but the “long legs” are my favourite bit.
Granny Pat, faking us out often serves them well.
Love your shots!!
Thanks, Dick.
Just gorgeous. And a lovely way to start the morning. We have a new female Red-Tail in rehab, and she’s incredibly strong, even with an injured wing.
Thanks, Cathy. Good luck to you and your injured bird.