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Some Shots From Yesterday: Red-Tailed Hawk Gathering Nest Material

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Mike Spinak

pro member
Yesterday, I photographed a pair of red-tailed hawks gathering nest material. It took me a while to understand the scene well enough to shoot decently (where they flew in from, what their flight path was, which trees they was visiting, etc.), and then it was over for the morning before I really got the best shots I can get. They made several passes. Here are some of the shots I got.

First, a fly in:

4124320808_8f1e658880_o.jpg



Then, a hawk grabs the branches and breaks them off:

4126180420_0701cebc94_o.jpg



Now the red-tail has some branches, and it is ready to carry them to where the nest is to be built:
4125424021_c062239f17_o.jpg

The moment of take-off –– the hawk has the nest material; it raises it's wings high for a powerful downstroke, while jumping off the branch:

4126222902_a9f9d2a577_o.jpg
 
M

Mike Spinak

pro member
Then the hawk carries the nest material back to the (being built) nest, either in its feet or in its beak:

4123514703_de1c5b7f69_o.jpg



In flight with nest material:

4126257862_89eda57e9a_o.jpg



And another:

4124299262_feaf482c3a_o.jpg



I'll be returning, to shoot this better, when the weather permits.

Edited to add: These were taken with a Canon 1Ds 2 and a handheld 300 f/4 lens, with a 1.4 teleconverter. The exposures were around 1,600th of a second, at f/8, with ISOs from 640-800.
 
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Mike Shimwell

New member
Mike

Fantastic. The first is just lovely. In the second I'd like a bit more separation from the background foliage. Number 5 is another great shot - picking the moment and number 6 reminds of a Vulcan bomber - infact that's an impression that's there in several of the shots. Manmade echoing nature.

Excellent work and story.

Mike
 
Asher Kelman

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
Mike,

I'm about to do an evening shoot but I have to salute you first. The picture of the red hawk in #1 would in itself have been a landmark new picture for us. The others that follow means we have a lot to learn from you about the ways of these great raptors.

Such beauty in the sky! Who would have expected this on a quiet Sunday afternoon? This is almost enough of a surprise revelation to make a religious person instantly agnostic or an atheist run to a temple to praise the creator!

Asher
 
Doug Kerr

Doug Kerr

Well-known member
Hi, Mike,

Mike Spinak said:
Then the hawk carries the nest material back to the (being built) nest, either in its feet or in its beak:
Click to expand...

Incredible series. It represents great achievement on many levels, and the results are wonderful to see.

And what an exquisite subject!

Thanks.

Best regards,

Doug
 
Nigel Allan

Nigel Allan

Member
Mike Spinak said:
Well, there's heavy, and then there's heavy. In my opinion, moderately heavy gear is preferable for this kind of shooting. It gives greater stability.
Click to expand...

Mike, never having used this kind of camera or lens myself, how do you reconcile stability with maneouverability? I presume you need need to also be very quick off the mark to catch such shots
 
M

Mike Spinak

pro member
You do need to be quick off the mark with this kind of shooting. For me, maneuverability is a non-issue with this rig. The total weight is only ... I'm not sure, exactly ... around seven pounds, I'd guess. It's not heavy to the point of cumbersome.
 
R

Richard Peters

New member
Beautiful, what lovely birds and great to see some nice behavioural activity from them too! I think I've seen these birds a couple of times on my various trips to Florida, but never got anything like a good shot.
 
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