Finally, a bird in good light after several days of fog, overcast skies and wind.
1/2000, f/6.3, ISO 800, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
Eight days ago, in Montana’s Centennial Valley, this female (I believe) Swainson’s Hawk was the first bird I photographed during a long and successful day in the field. The sun had come up only minutes before and skies were clear so the light was warm and wonderful and the hawk was cooperative.
These five photos are consecutive without any skips. Here she’s looking at me, almost certainly with a jaundiced eye (some would call it stink-eye), just prior to takeoff.
1/2000, f/6.3, ISO 800, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
When I’ve posted raptor takeoff series in the past I’ve usually left out photos like this one, with the bird squatting on its perch just before pushing off. I shouldn’t have. It’s part of the process of taking off.
1/2000, f/6.3, ISO 800, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
When I capture photos similar to this one, with the bird’s legs bent at perfectly right angles and most of the bird’s weight hanging over the perch, it often looks to me like the hawk is stationary and about to topple over and do a face plant. It makes no sense but that’s what comes to mind.
1/2700, f/6.3, ISO 800, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
My favorite photo of the series.
1/2700, f/6.3, ISO 800, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
And she’s on her way.
I got quite a few more nice photos of her in flight but after this one I wasn’t following her quite fast enough to my left with my lens, so in many of them she was too close to the left frame edge. If I post more flight shots of her in the future I may have to add canvas on the left side of the frame to get a composition I like.
That’s something I prefer to avoid doing but if I like a photo well enough I’ve been known to do it anyway. We’ll see.
Ron
Beautiful set Ron! A regal pose in photo #1 and I agree with you, #4 is stellar!! It would be my fave as well.
I love how you caught the concave arch in her spine just after take-off. Contrast that with her straight-arrow posture before take-off. These photos make me wonder if she uses her back to gain upward lift.
I suspect she does, Marcia – in conjunction with her tail.
Love that second shot, looks like a bullet about to be fired.
Thanks, Stephanie.
I refuse to even try and pick a favourite. Those legs, that definite stink eye, the contrast between the sleekness and the fluffiness.. That power, that grace…
Not required, EC. Thanks.
I love the thirdd photo with her body and legs at right angles. Seems like she must have great quads hiding in those legs to get up before the wing flap in following photos 😊
Loved your observation about her quads, Catherine.
Thank you for including #2 and #3. I don’t think I’ve ever seen that part of the take off before, and it is really neat. In #2, with her wings up on her back, she looks like she’s just put on her body armor. And the 90 degree angle of her legs and body in #3 – those legs look SO strong! But then there’s the white fluffy petticoat of her rear end to soften the look just a little bit. #4 is such a lovely contrast of power and softness – those strong wings and feet vs the soft feathers of her leggings and rear end. The colors are beautiful! You show us amazing things!
“You show us amazing things!”
Thanks, Carolyn. The birds get much, if not most, of the credit for that.
My my, I went back to look at the Swainson’s photo you originally posted after your return— she is *definitely* giving you the stink-eye in this one! No wonder she took off, she seems quite annoyed with you. 😂
Despite that, what a beauty she is, and I’m glad you included the squat-posture pic, it does help pull together the whole process of rapid raptor departure. And I like #4 best, too, there’s just something about that fling-the-wings position I adore.
Thanks very much, Chris. I actually posted two photos of her before – the peekaboo shot in flight and another one of her perched, but looking to our right.
to be contrarian, I love pics 2 and 3 (as part of the series). It reminds me of how I feel when I see a pitcher go through those odd contortions. Not that the hawk LOOKS like Roger Clemens (thus betraying my age and locale) but looking at them accelerate make me realize how little I know about the miraculous, multitudinous, and mysterious mechanics of motion. You’re not photographing plants.
“You’re not photographing plants.”
That brought a hearty guffaw, Francis. I’m sure as hell not!
All the shots are fabulous! The first one is my fave — that’s a heckuva stink-eye! 😂 I think she’s making sure you’re not going to clip any body parts. 😉 I could definitely go for some flight shots, added canvas or not.
Marty, I’ll probably be posting some of them fairly soon. I’m hesitant because, you know – they’re JPEGS…
True that. I don’t mind just the unedited jpegs and I’m sure I’m not alone, even though that would be opening a can of “nits” to pick for SOMEONE I know. 😉😎😂
Beautiful series.
Thanks, April.
Sensational series!
Charlotte Norton
Thanks, Charlotte.
That is definitely a great sequence. You can tell the light was real nice for you!
Thanks, Bruce. In my opinion the light was pretty darn close to perfect.
Such almost perfect photos. Great job Ron. I if was not 85 I would run out and buy an R5 and drive up there and let you show me how to use it 🙂
I can see why you like photo #4, but I really like the last one the best. But if I took any of these they would be the best photos I have ever taken. Great job.
Today is a big day here in Prescott as we remember our fallen 19 Prescott Hot Shots who died in that out of control fire in Yarnell 10 years ago today.
Thanks very much, Everett. I remember that horrible incident with the Hot Shots well.
I can’t believe it’s been 10 years already. Such a tragedy for those firefighters and their families. 💔
(On a lighter note, it’s never too late to get an R5 and visit Ron!)
Beautiful! The 3rd photo is fun. If one didn’t know it would think it’s about ready to tip over! 😉 The 4th IS beautiful….. 🙂
Thanks, Judy. #4 is certainly my favorite but #5 isn’t far behind.
Great series!!!
You were definitely getting the stink-eye. A good clue it is about to depart. Each one of these photos captures the mechanics of the launch. Have never seen a photo like the second one before. Perhaps because it might be considered not very artistic. I like it because it really captures the ‘coiling of the spring’ for the STOL takeoff that we humans have sought to replicate.
The biomechanics of bird flight. Never ceases to amaze me.
“Perhaps because it might be considered not very artistic.”
Or in my case, because the bird’s posture just doesn’t appeal to me much. But that’s irrelevant to the process of taking off. Thanks, Michael.
My favorite of your series is #3– the dark leading edge of the wing makes
a dynamic “sign” of the energy about to explode into space !
Kris, I like that one too but I my perception of it is dominated by the false impression that the bird is about to topple over… 🙂