You know what they say about the best laid plans of mice and men… and bird photographers.
I’ve mentioned before the huge advantage to the bird photographer if he/she can anticipate direction of takeoff of raptors when we’re after takeoff or flight shots. Some of the most dynamic flight postures occur during and soon after launch but the danger is clipping or cutting off body parts when they extend those huge wings. If we can correctly anticipate their initial direction of travel it’s much easier to keep them in frame with our long lenses.
I work hard at analyzing the situation and reading behaviors and I think I’m pretty good at anticipating takeoff direction. Usually. But eleven days ago this Rough-legged Hawk threw me a dandy of a curve ball.
I don’t know the sex of this bird for sure but for the sake of convenience I’ll refer to it as a male in this post.
As the bird sat on a power pole these were the possibilities I quickly thought of:
- I hoped he would launch toward me, then turn to my right or left. He was facing in that general direction so it was a strong possibility
- If he turned around on the pole (which they often do in these situations) he’d take off away from me and I’d be screwed
- He was unlikely to launch at an upward angle for two reasons – there were obstructing wires up there in any direction and besides launching at that angle requires more effort and energy and is usually unnecessary on an already elevated perch.
- And of course the key would be paying attention to the direction he was looking at the moment of liftoff. They nearly always launch in the direction they’re looking.
The following 16 photos were taken in a single burst that lasted for 1.6 seconds. All images are presented in the order they were taken and there are no skips. Because some of them are almost exactly like their predecessors you might wonder why I included them but I thought there was value in seeing the entire sequence for the sense of time and timing it provides.
Ok, enough jabbering. Let’s do it.
My first shot as the bird lifted its wings and leaned forward. At this point I was getting slightly conflicting cues – his body angle suggests he’ll take off forward and to my left but he’s looking slightly to my right. And almost immediately he…
changed his mind and put on the brakes by raising his fanned tail vertically. But by now he was…
so far forward on the perch that he…
almost fell off.
I don’t know why he changed his mind…
but he held this position…
for a few very quick moments…
as he regained his balance.
He never took his eyes off my pickup so my presence apparently figured into the equation…
of what direction he’d finally take off.
As he began to raise his wings to launch he blinked his nictitating membrane.
At this point it looked once again like he’d launch forward and to my left and I instinctively began to move my lens in that direction in order to keep him in frame. But then came the fake-out.
Uh-oh, I’m in trouble. At the last possible split-second he twisted and began to look above the wire and insulator on his right – my first clue to another change in plans.
I had no time to react as he launched almost straight up…
and began to clear the wire and insulator.
As you can see it took a lot of extra effort to get over the wire but he made it and was gone – foiling the best laid plans of this photographer in the process.
In my experience this was a pretty unusual takeoff. Not only did the hawk change his mind at least twice but he took off vertically over an obstacle that he didn’t really have to negotiate.
I wish I knew the thought process involved. But whatever it was this is an example of one of the many reasons why bird photography can be so challenging. And so rewarding when we do succeed.
Ron
Love it Ron! Almost made me think you were human. 😉
Charlotte
I love this sequence. My only thought about what the bird was going to do was that he was psyching you out. I don’t use a camera, but just looking at them has always been enough to trigger evasive behavior in the hawks I’ve observed, and pointing an object at them increases the perceived danger. They, like every cat and dog I’ve ever known, sense our intentions. He knew enough about what you were trying to do to throw you off! Wonderful photos! My FB friends share them. I love every one I’ve ever seen.
And the score is?
Hawk one (won)
Ron? Points for perserverance. And a fascinating series. The hawk would not agree and is no doubt being feted in the avian world for his successful mind messing, but I am going to call it a draw. Just.
The more of it I read the more I enjoyed your comment, EC. Thanks for a big smile.
LOL! That raptor be messin’ with you! What an absolutely gorgeous hawk and a great (fun) series of photos. Again, you & your images & stories are the best antidote to the day’s news. Thanks, Mr. D.
The images are an antidote (and a welcome distraction) for me too, Chris. Thank you.
Maybe he just wanted to screw with you. 😉 Whatever the case, his decisions make for some really interesting shots!
He was definitely messin’ with my head, Marty. Thanks.
I wonder if sometimes they know…
A classic case of “Alternative Choices”….
A cassic case of Alternative Choices…. :-/
Beats the hell out of alternative “facts”…
Thanks for the post Ron. Silly bird, he didn’t do what he’s supposed to do. Your logic forecasting his flight path is right on, but, oh well, didn’t quite work out this time. The trials and tribulations of bird photography! And, I guess the theory that pickups make great blinds doesn’t work all the time. One of the things that make it fun however is the differences in behavior of these guys. Sometimes they will just sit there and check you out, you get the stair down, and other times they spook immediately no matter how much stealth you may attempt. Its all about the chase and the reward of a great image. I can’t think of a better pass-time.
Yup, trying to predict their behavior is often a losing game but it works often enough to make it worth the effort. Agreed, bird photography is a wonderful pastime – despite its frustrations.
I have many pictures of blue sky and telephone wires but no bird because I blinked! These photos are fascinating! Thanks!
Yes, don’t we all, Beth! Thank you.
Wonderful series, even if the bird did mess with you. From your narrative it sounds like the presence of your pickup did make a difference to him.
Yes, I think it probably did, Susan.
GREAT series, Ron even if it did foil you best laid plans! 🙂 Amazing when I consider how little time it took for it all to unfold! Certainly don’t get bored trying to get these shots even if they are frustrating. I sometimes forget how good their eyesight is – that they are fully aware of me and take what they might consider my intentions to be into account. 🙂
Judy, the more I watch birds the more I notice how aware they are of their surroundings – all of them, including me, other birds, potential dangers and a myriad of other things. In comparison I think the average human is quite clueless and oblivious…
some humans more than others i.e. walking into things while looking at a cell phone! 🙂
Great post, Ron! It’s really fun for me to see the sequence (not fun that you got faked out). I almost never get good take off shots. If I don’t clip something, I lose focus by the time the bird has cleared any obstacles. This is where using images for reference for drawings or paintings comes in handy…we just don’t include what we don’t want (as long as there is enough information there and the bird isn’t terribly obscured).
“I lose focus by the time the bird has cleared any obstacles”
Boy, do I know that drill, Sharon. That’s one of the most difficult aspects of getting raptor takeoff shots.
Absolutely great shots Ron.
For whatever it is worth, I think he was more concerned with you, your lens movement and the truck. It was less intimidating to him to move (although more difficult) straight up and away then in the direction you had hoped. 🙂
Whatever the case, you got some terrific shots.
I think you’re right about his concerns about my pickup, Dick. What surprised me was his multiple changes of mind. Typically what they’d do is just turn around on the perch and take off away from me. It took a lot of extra effort to go up and over that wire.
Maybe his concern was going straight up and how to negotiate that maneuver then changing positions to fly in the opposite direction. Just a thought.
Reality confounding expectations… it seems to be a recurrent theme, doesn’t it?! I had to laugh at this and appreciate your sense of humor. Now to come to terms with all the other confounded expectations and confounding realities we grapple with…
“it seems to be a recurrent theme, doesn’t it?”
Boy, that’s for sure, Alison! Birds are tough to predict.
Wow wow and wow!!! Lots of dramatic posing!! Gorgeous .. I know all about getting skunked !! But all those lovely pictures make up for it!!! I do believe that’s a male with all those stripes on his tail
Thanks, Marina. I couldn’t be absolutely sure about the sex so I decided not to call it.