For the past three days I’ve been able to observe a variety of different types of prey exchanges between adult and juvenile Swainson’s Hawks.
1/2000, 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
Just prior to this exchange, photographed yesterday morning near Monida, Montana, two juvenile siblings waited impatiently on various perches for over half an hour for one of the parents to bring in food. Eventually an adult (the bird on the right) landed on this post with a vole that was obviously meant for one of the young birds. The adult bit the head of the vole several times to make sure it was dead then waited for one of the two young birds to come in and claim the vole.
In this shot the juvenile on the left is coming in to pounce on the vole as the adult is preparing to leave. But soon after the youngster landed on the post the vole dropped to the ground so it had to drop down to retrieve it before its sibling horned in on the action.
Hopefully I’ll be able to post more of this sequence after I get home. Right now, while camping in Montana, my internet access is seriously inadequate.
Ron
PS – An update on the Barn Owl that was hung up in barbed wire yesterday. The Montana Raptor Center reports that it has soft tissue damage in one wing but no broken bones. Only time will tell if it heals well enough to be released back into the wild.
Great action shot. Oh those kids, never want to share.
So pleased about the Barn Owl. And will keep hoping it can be released.
Smiling at a klutzy young ‘un. With empathy.
For those of you who are wondering where the vole is – it’s on top of the post and being held down by one talon of the adult bird. When the parent flew off, the landing juvenile knocked it off the post.
Well – I sure was WRONG, Susan – LOL!! Thanks for clearing that up, Ron – now I need to go back & have another look!!
LOVE the action you captured, Ron!! I’m not surprised the vole got dropped!! You are definitely having great luck on your camping/photography trip!!
Re: barn owl update…good, good, good!!! Was afraid to ask…..
Fabulous shot. Can’t wait to see the rest! (after you enjoy your camping trip)
Don’t worry about “posting”…enjoy the moment….(to worry is to enable evil iPads everywhere….and their friends…don’t fall for it!!!!)
I’m really glad I’m not the youngster trying to land in a spot where there’s no room for me. Stupid question: is the vole in the photo? I can’t see it if it is. 🙂
Susan, I may be wrong but I think it is still in the parent’s mouth with the vole’s back to us. It’s coloring is very close to that of the parent’s breast feathers.(If I’m correct – LOL!!)
Jo Ann, I was thinking I was seeing it after looking again, thinking I was seeing the tail, but it also looks like if that is the vole, it has some white on it. Zooming in as far as I can is not helping!
Sensational action shot Ron!
Charlotte
Wonderful shot Ron, looking forward to more in the series!
Good news about the Barn Owl, if it is only soft tissue, the owl should come along fine!
Thanks for keeping us updated.
Great shot Ron. It almost seems that I can hear the parent yelling at the offspring. Enjoy your time away from the WWW. Thank you for all the work you do so well.