I’m becoming convinced that weather radar is often worse than worthless. After all, knowing that you don’t know something for fact is better than thinking you do and then having it turn out to be false.
Yesterday after many weeks of socked-in morning weather and rotten light for photography I awakened before 4 AM to weather radar that unexpectedly showed no clouds at all for several hundred miles around me. So I quickly put the finishing touches on my blog post before heading north in the dark. My birding destination was about 100 miles away and I was almost half way there before it became light enough to see that there were clouds. Lots of thick, heavy clouds! Clouds that the weather radar hadn’t even provided a hint of.
So I spent all morning looking for birds in the wind and under a thick canopy of gloomy clouds – terrible conditions for bird photography.
This is what it looked like up north after several hours of driving around in the dismal light when some of the clouds finally began to thin out enough to show at least some light coming through them (it had been much darker than this previously). Here we see part of the dried up lakebed of the disappearing Great Salt Lake with the northern Wasatch Mountains in the far background. Needless to say it was a frustrating morning, thanks in part to completely inaccurate and unreliable weather radar.
I wish I’d thought to take a screenshot of the radar before I left home so I could show you the contrast between it and reality but of course at the time I didn’t realize how inaccurate it would turn out to be. I might as well have been rolling dice…
I found one good bird all morning and of course it was in miserable light.
1/1000, f/5.6, ISO 2000, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
It was a stunning red Red-tailed Hawk deeply buried in sagebrush. While perched much of its body was obscured by masses of twigs so my only hope was takeoff and flight shots. I made the conscious decisions to try two different strategies in an attempt to have enough shutter speed for flight without using ISO’s that were astronomical (even ISO 2000 is much higher than I like to go) and still get at least a few sharp flight shots in such low light.
- I deliberately underexposed the images a bit which gave me a little more SS without cranking up my ISO even further. That meant of course that I had to tweak exposure during processing but hopefully I avoided at least some of the noise I’d have had otherwise.
- I prefocused on the perched bird and then took my thumb off of the back-button AF button when it took off. That meant that I would likely have a good chance to get at least the first several takeoff shots sharp enough but I had less chance of getting sharp shots the further the bird flew. In such low light AF struggles to maintain focus lock on a moving subject and this way I might have a better chance of getting sharper shots during and immediately after takeoff. I’d rather have a sharp shot or two than none at all. Of course at this point I don’t know if that was the best strategy or not but that’s what I did.
1/1000, f/5.6, ISO 2000, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
I was only able to get one more shot after takeoff that I liked. After this the hawk just became too soft.
These photos are what they are – shots of a good-looking hawk taking off and in flight in very poor light. But at least I have something to show for all my time spent driving and looking for birds in dismal light and I also gained some experience in low-light bird photography.
So I keep telling myself that the trip wasn’t a complete failure…
Ron
This set’s another “happy accident” set for me. I love the way the low light allows the echoes of colors between the RTH and the background. Soooooo beautiful! There’s something magical and ethereal about these shots; “better” lighting conditions would have ruined that special something.
Wonderful shots!
Just a comment about the weather radar. I have to agree that it is frustrating to not get the weather that is predicted. But I think you may confused as to what type of information a radar summary provides. A radar summary only shows areas of precipitation. It has nothing to do with cloud cover. So, if you were making your judgement on a radar summary and there was no rain while you were there, then the radar summary was 100% correct. Of course, the radar summary is a snapshot of the weather at that moment of time. So if there was rain when you were there, it had nothing to do with the radar summary that you looked at while you were at your house.
Marlo, I wasn’t confused about what type of information radar provides but I WAS incorrect in the terminology I used. I always use the satellite imagery that shows cloud cover, not the radar. I just got in the bad habit of referring to it as radar instead of satellite. Thanks for pointing out my error.
But the satellite loop absolutely wasn’t showing the very thick and extensive clouds that were in that part of the state.
I keep going back to these pictures…they are so beautiful!!!
I agree, Patty! I’d love to have both of them framed and on my wall!
Yes, the weather forecasts have been pretty useless. Off to Easter Jeep Safari for a few days, Ron.
I hope you have fun, Alice. Too darn many people for me…
It is a lovely bird and the colors show a nice range with cloudy light. You posted one of my favorite views of the area. I try not to feel too disappointed when I don’t get any good shots. I do truly just enjoy being out in nature and looking. I try to go for short hikes or take a road I have not traveled before. I do wish all the property out on the peninsula was not private land, I would love to hike some of those peaks. This time of year before the grass grows tall is perfect to look for burrowing owls dens (by car, I never approach a den or a possible den).
I use local weather doppler and my son has me use Weather Underground. It has been more accurate, it will show the high thin clouds that often do not turn up in doppler. Weather Underground uses satellite and doppler. https://www.wunderground.com/
Thanks for the tip, April. I’ve tried it before but may have to again.
Oh MY! What a BEAUTY! Of course, you know that redtails have my heart, but even accounting for that bias, she’s gorgeous. I’m a fool for the darker morphs and a banded red tail, well, just WOW!
As for weather critters, wouldn’t you have loved a job where you never had to be right? Seriously, weather critters are worse than politicians!! But look on the bright side! You got out of the house, hissing and spitting at the clouds notwithstanding, meaning you felt good enough to get out of the house and to hiss and spit. On top of that, you captured some spectacular images. Life is good…really, it is! 😉
I agree, Laura – life is good. But it would be a helluva lot better with accurate weather radar and satellite images… 🙂
But you still felt good enough to go out and about! That’s a BIG win!
I appreciate your difficulties (and your frustration) but love the colour and the light in these shots. Like Patty, I find the sage’s colour appealing.
And am, yet again, impressed with the dedication you have to perfecting your art. Thank you.
Thanks very much, EC. I do try…
You met the low light challenge and have produced two beautiful images of a handsome RTHA. I have been led down the rabbit hole by checking weather radar, too. You may already be aware of this but I discovered that if I reset the layering on my weather app to include both the radar image and the satellite image I got more accurate information regarding the cloud cover. Regardless, your post reinforces the fact that you can still get good images in low light if you understand how your camera works. I always appreciate your photo-geek posts and look forward to using the information to improve my bird photography.
Dennis, Yes, I’ve tried different options and combinations of options involving radar and satellite. Never know if it’s going to be accurate or not. Thank you.
I think Your Photos are beautiful! The Silvery landscape contrasted with the rich browns are stunning.
Thanks very much, LS.
In that last shot, the light coming through the tail showing the stripes that are probably not noticeable without it. And those feet!
Sallie, that light coming through the tail (translucence) also allows us to see the reds on the top of the tail that we normally wouldn’t see very well looking at its underside.
Not being a real photographer, I wonder if the light you had to deal with enhanced the wonderful silver quality of the sage snd the beautiful contrast of the warm brown of the bird againt it. I love this effect….
How interesting that you like that silver color of the sage in this light, Patty. That’s one thing that didn’t particularly appeal to me because to me it seems washed out and a little too bright. Different strokes…
STUNNING!!! Love the beautiful landscape shot and the Red-tail shots are are both breathtakingly beautiful–wing positions, backgrounds, light….especially like the light coming through the tail feathers and the graceful curve of the primaries….
Thanks very much, Patty.
Beautiful shots❗️ I’m learning so much from you not only about birds but what it takes to photograph them😃 We’re soon off to watch our beautiful Bald eagle family. Two little ones in the nest. It’s going to be an amazing few months 🦅🦅 Your right about them sitting for hours ❗️ But with babies to feed they’re on the move a bit more. Nothing like seeing them catch a fish and bring it in‼️
Have a great day
“I’m learning so much from you not only about birds but what it takes to photograph them”
You’ve pushed my two favorite buttons involving my blog with that comment, Diana. Thanks for that!
A very useful lesson you gave us today on how to photograph birds under such bad conditions.
I find both photos very good.
Thank you very much.
Good! I’m happy to know that you found it useful. Thank you, Jorge.
Soon you’ll be out there doing the same….think of you often….:-) (And counting the days)
Patty you’ll be the first one to know when it happens…
Great shots Ron not a wasted day by any means! Here in the East we don’t see the dark morph calurus, and it is a treat to see images of this beauty, especially in flight.
I like to look at weather radar as humans trying to figure out the Natural System. Although the reporting can screw us up at times I like the fact that in many instances Nature has the last laugh. There is something neat about humans NOT always having the last word!
“I like the fact that in many instances Nature has the last laugh”
You’re more flexible than I am in that regard, Dick. I actually get angry when this happens with radar. Weather forecasting is one thing (almost by definition it’s unreliable) but radar is supposed to show large masses of thick clouds reasonably accurately when they exist. I don’t appreciate “false pretenses”… 🙂
Beautiful Ron. Sometimes it takes such patience to wait for a raptor to move. They can sometimes sit for what seems forever before taking off again. Of course the hawks are more likely to move than eagles. At our close by Lynx Lake I have seen an eagle sit for up to two hours before taking off again. Outstanding photos.
Everett Sanborn, Prescott AZ
Everett, I’ve sat on Bald Eagles (Golden Eagles not so much – they usually don’t hang around for long) for hours waiting for action too. One time I almost froze to death. I’ll never forget that experience.
These pictures are gorgeous, and the first is an absolute knockout! Really, the “technical” is just a a way to get there.
I’m glad you like them, Mary. Thank you.
Hi Ron, Guess you didn’t strike out completely. Appreciate your lesson about how you handled the focusing issue associated with poor light. Good forward thinking. It never would have even crossed my mind and maybe in the future if I have similar conditions I just might remember to try the technique. Thanks again, Frank
Frank, thankfully this bird gave me a few moments to think about strategy before it took off. So often they don’t. Thanks.
Absolutely awesome shots Ron! Your expertise gave the bird an almost translucent quality! KUDOS!
Charlotte
Thanks very much, Charlotte.
Nice to catch him flying toward you. So many times they fly away from you!
Exactly, Bob. I had anticipated that this bird might turn to my right immediately after takeoff because the small mountain in the background was close to me so flying straight forward as it did would force it to be uncomfortably close to me. Dang birds are so unpredictable!
Ron you met the challenge to fine effect – Stunning images!
Thank you, Gary.
Beautiful! The conditions still made for lovely pictures in my opinion particularly the first one. The grays with a hint of rust set off the hawk well – enough contrast to work yet echoing some of the hawks colors…… 🙂 The radar often isn’t that red hot here either tho does give us a hint of storms coming and from what direction.
Judy, sometimes weather radar is reasonably accurate and useful. But that can lull you into a false sense of confidence on those occasions when it screws up. I’d have a better chance of accuracy using a Ouija board!