Every time I try to boot up my primary computer I get the dreaded “blue screen of death”, so today or tomorrow that computer will be going into the shop for repair. Since I’m on a backup computer, today’s post consists of older photos taken in Box Elder County, Utah in February of 2017.
There was a tremendous amount of snow on the ground up there so I was in a completely white world. Much of the time I couldn’t even see the horizon because the ground blended into the sky at a boundary that could not be discerned. Definitely not the best conditions for bird photography.
1/3200, f/7.1, ISO 500, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
This adult Red-tailed Hawk with prey was perched on the top of a vertical cliff so ‘she’ was on one of the few spots I could see that wasn’t covered with deep snow. The prey in her talons was what was left of a rabbit that appeared to have been fed upon for several days. She wasn’t particularly hungry at the moment (I could see that her crop was at least partially full) but she was desperate to keep the rabbit away from the pesky magpie that simply would not leave her alone.
For a very long time, long enough for me to take over 100 photos similar to this one, it was a standoff. But eventually she…
1/6400, f/6.3, ISO 500, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
took off with her prize trailing behind her. In this shot I clipped at least one of her primaries but that doesn’t bother me as much as the flat lighting and nearly white background. That said, I was pleased to get the bird sharp in flight in conditions like these.
And I couldn’t help but notice that the prominent rabbit’s foot trailing behind the hawk had been no luck at all for its rightful owner.
Ron
I’m surprised to see the hawk holding the rabbit in one talon and it looks as though that leg is held high, but maybe that’s a foreshortening effect from the camera angle? At any rate I like the shape of the hawks silhouette. More incredible peeks at Mother Nature through the vantage point of your lens. Thanks
“I’m surprised to see the hawk holding the rabbit in one talon”
I was a little surprised by that too, Pat.
Huge sigh at the screen of death. It amazes (and horrifies) me just how dependent I have become on my ‘puter.
If I have seen these photos before my memory fails me – thank you for sharing them. And you are right. Only one winner.
EC. these photos are new to my blog, although I did post other photos of this hawk back in 2017.
Blue screen of death is NOT amusing……. 🙁 Flying away probably won’t deter the Magpie other than perhaps a tidbit dropping off the rabbit! Beautiful shots, Ron
Thanks, Judy. I can’t remember if the magpie followed the hawk after it left with the rabbit.
I don’t mind the white flat backgrounds for photos. Some of my favorite golden eagle shot are I believe from the same winter and light conditions.
Older photos we have either seen or not seen are great to revisit, they are good photos and interesting. I hope you can get the computer figured out, it’s frustrating
Tana and I watched a golden eagle drag a rabbit up the hillside to get away from magpies in Teasdale. I think the rabbit was too heavy for the eagle to fly with. It was fun to watch, too far away for decent photos.
April, years ago I saw a Golden try to fly with a huge jackrabbit on Antelope Island. It could get airborne but it sure took it a long time to gain any elevation.
Yes, the rabbit’s foot might mean luck for others, but definitely not for the rabbit. Now comes the dull winter skies that as you say do not make for outstanding photography. Good try though Ron.
Would a Magpie indulge on dead rabbit? We don’t have them so not aware of their eating habits.
“Would a Magpie indulge on dead rabbit?”
They sure would, Everett. And they do. They’ll scavenge pretty much anything.
I’ve got photos of a magpie standing very close to a Golden Eagle that was eating on a deer carcass, waiting for it’s turn. They also love to harass our Osprey that have caught a fish and often several of the magpies will group together to blitz attack the Osprey. Lastly, I watched a group of magpies eating what was left of a dead Trumpeter Swan, after chasing off a Red-Tailed Hawk. I think the swan was killed by hitting a utility line, They now have dangling “ornaments” on those lines to make them more visible to flying birds that migrate down that particular valley. Suffice to say that Magpies are certainly bold opportunists!
These are both interesting shots. Like the white background and did not notice the slight primary clip because the rabbit’s foot grabbed my attention. Happy Thanksgiving Ron 😄
Thanks, Kathleen.
Geez. More computer problems. Good luck with that.
Nice shots though. Thanks Ron.
Michael, later this morning I’m going to try a strategy to fix it myself but I’m not particularly optimistic. Worth a try though.
I sympathize with the computer shutout you’re experiencing. That
said, I’m struck–pleasingly so–with the emphasis that the plain pale blue background in shot #1 lends to the hawk, the magpie, and the
colorfully textured rock they occupy –surprisingly-enough–together!
In my opinion, it’s a GREAT composition.
Thanks, Kris. I wish I liked that background as much as you do.