When they’re done well (and haven’t been baited) flight shots of raptors with prey are among my favorite types of bird photos. Hawks, eagles, owls, falcons, ospreys – the raptor subject doesn’t really matter but if it has natural prey in its talons or beak while in flight it adds an extra dimension of both difficulty and behavior that has strong appeal for me as a photographer and as a biologist.
1/4000, f/6.3, ISO 500, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
Last month I was able to get a series of 14 flight shots as this Rough-legged Hawk returned to its former perch after capturing a nearby vole at Farmington Bay WMA. This might be my favorite of the bunch because the hawk is close enough for good detail, the bird is sharp, I like the dihedral angle of the wings, there’s good light on the face and eye and even though it’s partially shaded the prey is easily seen and well-defined.
All too often the raptor in photos like this one have been baited or otherwise manipulated, especially when the subject is an owl (though such practices are certainly not limited to owls). Many bird photographers are endlessly creative in both their baiting and manipulation techniques and in their sneakiness at hiding and/or not disclosing their unethical and often illegal methods.
That’s why I heartily endorse the recently revised Truth In Captioning Statement of the North American Nature Photography Association (NANPA). Viewers and consumers of the work of nature photographers who are known to follow those guidelines can feel confident that they’re informed of the methods used to capture the images and they’ll know if they were taken using practices that they consider to be unethical or dishonest. In my opinion disclosure is paramount!
If you’re interested there’s a link to the Truth In Captioning Statement on NANPA’s ethics page (it’s a PDF document and I had trouble providing a direct link).
I strongly encourage all nature photographers to follow NANPA’s guidelines. Doing so will give viewers and consumers of your work confidence that your images have been taken ethically, that any “unusual” and potentially misleading or dishonest image processing has been disclosed and it will prevent at least some abuses of wildlife.
A win-win for all concerned.
Ron
Thank you for promoting NANPA’s guidelines. My wife (Hawkperson on Flickr) is a photographer/birder (photobirder?) and has witnessed many heinous behaviors of photographers to get the shot. No wonder many birders disdain their camera toting brethren. We work as docents for our county Open Space Authority and spread the ethos of responsible birding and photography to the wider public. Educate!
Cracking shot of a shy raptor. We are just back from five days in the eastern Sierra Nevada shooting RLHA, along with a bounty of other overwintering raptor species near Portola, California. You mention a 53” wingspan. There is a bit of variation – ours tend to be smaller than that, very much at the low end of the range. Which makes me wonder about the winter distribution of this species and whether size/weight is a factor in where the birds end up. I suppose I will need to check the Carrizo Plain and see if those are smaller yet than the ones in Sierra Valley, working from an assumption that smaller birds are forced to fly further south. Any ideas on that idea, or am I trying to find a pattern that is not there?
Thank you, Thomas. Regarding wingspan there’s obviously variation between adult birds, there always is. I just went with the 53″ mentioned by Sibley in his field guide. I don’t know about the pattern you mention but I’d say keep on looking. After all, that’s how patterns are discovered in the first place!
I looked in Sibley this past trip and was surprised by that number as the birds we saw were not nearly that large. We had at least twelve individual RLHA – plumage variation is another exciting aspect of this species. It was fascinating to recognize individuals and to see how the hawks were distributed across the valley floor, where resources vary from acre to acre. The hovering flight is distinctive and helpful for recognizing the bird at a distance. It may have just become my favorite raptor, though we did see our first Harlan’s Hawk yesterday. That’s a pretty interesting bird, and I find myself siding with Bill Clark – they really seem like their own species. But that’s another discussion which includes defining species, a concept in flux.
For whatever it’s worth, western redtails tend to be smaller than their eastern brethren. I wonder about the why of that, too.
Fabulous flight shot Ron!
Charlotte
I’m with you! I love seeing a raptor (and any raptor will do) with prey! Of course, I’m besotted with raptors, so I’m good with anything that makes their day happy. I stopped to watch my redtail pair soaring in the sky yesterday. Made me giggle and Awww. I’m easily amused 😉
This image is just spectacular! I love it all for the reasons you mentioned and then some! Just WOW!
I’m still working through computer (IMAP) issues. Sorry to be tardy, but computers hate me!
Oh, and I love your overall personal integrity! You’re my kind of human!
Always happy to see a RLHK…but one as good as this with prey…very nice Ron. I couldn’t agree more with the disclosure part. I went to NANPA and looked at their ethics…straight forward, common sense with good definitions. While I strive to be as honest as I can, after reading the “Truthful disclosure of any post-processing digital manipulation” part, I realized I could do better. I sometimes am fortunate enough to photograph a Snowy Owl that is being lured in by a bander. I always say up front what the circumstances are…not a problem there. But I saw the term “Cleanup” and the definition…and I don’t disclose that. I’ve removed sticks before and cloned in as needed to fix a photo. From now on, when I do this, I will say in the comments that clean up was performed to remove a stick, leaf or whatever it is that I felt needed to be done to make the photo worthy of being shared. Always open to new ideas and improvements in how I share my photos. Thank you for posting this…I would have never made this welcome change if you didn’t share this and cause a light bulb to go off over my head 🙂 Side note: Just a general gripe that I know no one can do anything about – sometimes I have an owl, hawk, falcon or eagle fly directly at me…eye level…focused on my camera. It’s a blast and exciting and the photos are wonderful. But there are always those one or two people that ask “did you bait it” or assume that you baited it. That honks me…I don’t bait out of personal choice. I do however obtain those photos through countless hours put in the field. They taint my post and I feel sullied by even mentioning the word bait in my post. And yet, I strongly oppose putting any disclaimer as to what I didn’t do to obtain the photo. I am who I am and I obtain my photos ethically…I don’t need to tell people that I act ethically. Not looking for any answers, but writing the reply sparked this outburst. This ended up being way longer than I thought it was going to be…thanks Ron 🙂
Ron,
The quality of your photos never ceases to amaze me. Nice and sharp. Great shot!
Stephen
Thanks very much, Stephen.
Such a wonderful pose! Sigh. 🙂 If you’d like a humorous take on raptor-flying-with-prey, check out the Tundra comic strip from January 16. Made me laugh out loud — for reals!
I wish that more people felt the importance of ethical behavior in their lives — not just giving lip service, but acting in an ethical manner. Again and again, that’s what draws me to your blog and to Mia’s blog (in addition to the phenomenal photography, humorous commentary, and generous replies to your readers).
My neighbor just came back from SLC this morning and talked about the change in weather from a week ago — going from shorts and t-shirts to boots and coats.
Thanks, Marty. I’ve been trying to find that strip for that day but with no luck so far.
Yup, weather changed around her big-time. And we’re supposed to have another potentially big storm this weekend. I’m all for it!
Chad Carpenter usually archives about a month behind, so it will likely be available on his website (tundracomics) in a couple of weeks.
I’m for some real weather here too, although the “breeze” we had yesterday managed to knock over the apricot tree and the last rains caused part of a ceiling to cave at the shelter.
Ron, this is such an interesting photo. I love the wing view on the right wing and a different view of the left. This raptor looks content to be going ‘somewhere’ with its catch…can’t blame it. You captured the light in the right eye so well. The eye projects victory and determination.
I tried to find the dimensions of the wing spread but was unable to find it. The wing spread is quite impressive.
Thank you, Ron
So happy to finally get some snow!!!
Thanks very much, Alice. Their wing span is 53″.
Hooray for ethical behaviour. We need a LOT more of it. World wide.
And hooray for another beautiful shot. What an incredible wing span.
“We need a LOT more of it. World wide”
Exactly, EC. And in more areas of our lives than just nature photography. Thanks.
Beautiful shot Ron, and those NANPA ethics are very similar to Birding ethics. Just wish they were more widely recognized and adhered to!
So do I, Dick. I do think we’re moving in the right direction though.
Those wings are so long!!! Beautiful image….
Thanks, Patty.
Beautiful shot, Ron……:) Yes, getting them with prey is tough. I had a GHO in my lens last spring at the cemetery with a vole for his family which I’d seen earlier. Unfortunately, despite being at some distance, it KNEW I was watching and everything came out with grave decorations/headstone/trees causing problems as it moved to get where it was going! 🙂 I got a blurb on something recently on the NANPA’s ethics changes – GREAT to see!
Ha, a headstone in the background is symbolic of what that owl did to the image, Judy!
Yes, I’m delighted to see this revision in NANPA’s ethics guidelines and I hope they become the norm for nature photographers everywhere. I’m simply astounded by how many nature photographers use unethical, illegal and/or dishonest methods and techniques.
Yep…….. 🙂 Had that type of thing happen with an eagle carrying a pheasant several years back…………