I was delighted to get so many sharp shots of this Red-tailed Hawk during and after takeoff.
- I previously posted a single image of this bird and mentioned that I had an entire series of photos as the bird took off. In comments several readers said they’d like to see the series – thus today’s post.
1/2500, f/7.1, ISO 500, Canon 7D, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
I encountered the bird nine days ago near Utah’s Promontory Mountains. I photographed it for several minutes as it was perched on the cliff above me but mostly I wanted takeoff and flight shots. I was not disappointed.
The following 14 images are sequential shots in a burst with only one skip (apparently I deleted that skipped photo but I can’t remember why…). Obviously some images are better than others – that comes with the territory when you post this many shots in a series.
1/2500, f/7.1, ISO 500, Canon 7D, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
The hawk crouched…
1/2500, f/7.1, ISO 500, Canon 7D, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
and began to lift its wings.
1/2500, f/7.1, ISO 500, Canon 7D, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
Here I caught the full wing and body stretch at lift-off I enjoy so much. This is the image I posted previously.
1/2500, f/7.1, ISO 500, Canon 7D, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
I was a little surprised the hawk went this direction because it meant negotiating some of those tall grasses.
1/2500, f/7.1, ISO 500, Canon 7D, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
But it cleared the shorter grasses directly in front of it…
1/2500, f/7.1, ISO 500, Canon 7D, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
without a problem.
1/2500, f/7.1, ISO 500, Canon 7D, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
This is one of the few images in the series where the wings are in a down position.
1/2500, f/7.1, ISO 500, Canon 7D, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
As the hawk continued on its way it turned its head slightly to its left which left me with little light in the eye in the rest of the series.
1/2500, f/7.1, ISO 500, Canon 7D, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
Horizontal wing positions aren’t my favorite flight posture but I wanted to include as many images of the entire series as I could.
1/2000, f/7.1, ISO 500, Canon 7D, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
Part of the cliff to the right of the hawk was higher than the spot the bird took off from so for the rest of these shots I had to deal with it in the background.
1/2000, f/7.1, ISO 500, Canon 7D, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
I was surprised the hawk kept its feet dangling for as long as it did.
If I hadn’t deleted it the skipped image would have appeared next.
1/2000, f/7.1, ISO 500, Canon 7D, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
I’m not as fond of these last three images…
1/2000, f/7.1, ISO 500, Canon 7D, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
because the rocky background is a little too close to the bird for my tastes…
1/2000, f/7.1, ISO 500, Canon 7D, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
but I was pleased to get the hawk as sharp as it is with the background that close. In these conditions it’s very easy for focus to lock onto the background instead of the bird.
One of the reasons I so enjoy a series like this is it allows me to judge things like distance traveled and elevation gained or lost in a single wing-beat and in a given amount of time (my Canon 7D Mark II has a burst rate of 10 frames/sec so each of these images was taken 1/10 of a second apart).
I’m a bit of a bird-nerd when it comes to stuff like that.
Ron
PS – I was pleasantly surprised to get this many sharp flight shots in a series without a clipped wing or cut off body part (though I came close a couple of times). The clipping gods must have been taking a siesta…
I enjoyed the whole series and the background is great! It goes with that hawk. I’ve stayed on them as they attack their prey in the tall grass and stayed to eat it. Beautiful color and sharpness. As always!!
Thank you, Linda.
Oh my.
Oh my, oh my, oh my.
🙂
Had an appointment with my cardiologist today…he claims I’m doing OK and he’s determined to keep me alive until after the elections…says, “Then we’ll renegotiate”….
From what I know about you, Patty, I suspect you enjoy his sense of humor!
We laugh a lot..his nurse says, “You’re both nuts!” ( He can be very serious when he needs to be) .He has adopted 3 Chinese children–one girl abandoned in a traffic circle, two boys with spina bifida (now OK), and a kennel with 75 stray or abandoned dogs!!! Also has a bunch of cats… we share the same political opinions. I think he’s the greatest!!!
This is a wonderful series, so I’m glad you posted it. I’m also not as fond of the last three images, although the bird is sharp. I think the background is too close to the same colors as the bird, thereby washing out the main subject. I was fascinated by what the shadow did to the colors under the wings on the 7th photo.
“I was fascinated by what the shadow did to the colors under the wings on the 7th photo.”
Susan, that’s just one of the reasons good light is so important in bird photography. I really don’t like photographing birds on cloudy days (in most situations).
I always enjoy looking at your posts and as I have said before have tried to incorporate as much of your technical information as I can glean from your posts. Questions: do you have back button focus? Do you focus and then not try to track the bird in flight? Is it a continuous focus situation and you have to keep trained on the bird? Any tips or instruction would be appreciated for this novice bird lover / photographer.
Thanks,
Stephen
Stephen, Yes I do use back button AF. I lock on to the bird and then try to remain locked on during flight shooting A1 Servo. It isn’t easy though and it takes considerable practice.
Thanks, Ron. Helpful again!
Best,
Stephen
This series is the next best thing to being there! Thank you!!!
It would have been fun for all of us if you could have been there too, Patty. Thanks.
I don’t think so…my mouth would have been hanging open and I would have been drooling on my camera…(with the lens cap still on!!!)…
Snap. I think I would have had to wear an absorbent bib. Or water proof clothing.
These are fantastic. This might be a dumb question but I don’t have a DSLR to know the answer. Were you panning to follow the bird or are these cropped from a locked down camera position?
George, yes I was panning. I was shooting from the window of my pickup.
Unbelievable!!! Someday Someday!!! Maybe!!! I get so many opportunities with “my ” “Swainson family in my back yard but I’m just not quick enough!! I always lose them in my frame let alone maintain focus!!!! I’m not sure people realize just how difficult that series is!!! It’s a big credit to your skill! PS my swainsons disappeared couple days ago.. Gone south finally.
Thanks, Marina. Yes, I’m sure you’re aware by now of how difficult these kinds of shots can be but remember you haven’t had your 500mm for all that long yet. Keep trying and practicing and your time will come because I know you have the motivation to work hard at it.
Oh WOW (insert superlatives here)! Of course you have my favorite subject, but I just love the whole series. As always, I was impressed with the bird’s continuous intense focus on something out there and wondered if there was a tasty treat at the end of that flight–one that might have inspired the flight in the first place? If you didn’t see a dive/catch, I’d guess whatever that something might have been changed during that flight and the possible tasty treat might have skedaddled to live to another time?
I’ve often thought about the continuous stream of mathematical computations these birds make in their heads as they go wherever. That certainly boggles my mind! And they do it seemingly effortlessly.
Again, just WOW!
Laura, if I remember correctly this bird took off and landed next to another red-tail some distance away. I think they are the mated pair that nested in the area this summer.
A great series, Ron. You have choices. The really cool thing the light was on your side.
“The really cool thing the light was on your side”
I make that happen as often as I can, Dik, but as I’m sure you know light is a fickle adversary.
What an enjoyable series! I like them all, but if I were to pick the ones I like the best, although it would be hard, it would be 6-10. Strength, perseverance, and focus getting off the ground and to where it is going, all can be seen in its actions. Wonderful series.
Thank you, Dick.
Wonderful series, Ron! The last 3 are still great photo’s for the wing position and detail shown! 🙂 The 2nd to last is really interesting in how flexible, in some ways, the wings are! Hope you’re getting some of the rain we’re getting. 🙂
Judy, Yes, we’ve had some thunder boomers and some rain over the last few days. A drop in the bucket compared to what we really need but it’s a nice start.
I really like the second to the last photo, too. The closeness of the rocks indicates what the bird is actually contending with as it navigates the air. Very impressive – both bird and photographer!
Thanks very much, Pam.
My fave is the first downbeat. I love the power implied in that shot. Then the very last one because the angle makes me think of choices. How we drive for something while recalculating the angle of our approach.
“How we drive for something while recalculating the angle of our approach.”
Arwen, just think of how many quick decisions these birds must make as they negotiate terrain and/or chase after prey at speed. Kind of boggles the mind…
Ron, thanks for posting these! I agree with you some are better images than others, but I love the series for what it shows of the behavior, of how the hawk lifts off and gets going. Great stuff. I do like the shadow of the hawk’s head on its wing in the shot with the wings down, though the head does get lost a little in the curve of the wing. But we can’t have everything. I find the first few shots the most interesting, showing how quickly it gets off the ground. Really amazing. Thanks again for posting these.
Good point about that shadow, Todd. I like it too. Thank you.
What an awesome series Ron! What wonderful talent you have. Thanks for sharing!
Charlotte
Thanks very much, Charlotte.