Plus a gentle, friendly and possibly unnecessary reminder.
Five days ago I posted a short series of photos of a gorgeous, dark red Red-tailed Hawk taking off and in flight but somehow I neglected to include the following image in the series. Last night I decided it deserved to see the light of day.
1/3200, f/7.1, ISO 400, 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’s the flight posture that appeals to me most. The hawk had recently taken off from the tree that we can see a few remnants of to the right and I love how the raised wings complement the lowered legs and feet. When combined with this intense gaze, the downward flight path and the almost patented scowl of a buteo (thanks in part to their overhanging brow ridge) I think the bird has the menacing intensity that I so admire in raptors.
When hawks are perched or in typical flight we usually have no hint of just how long their legs really are. But this soon after takeoff they’re often fully extended. I think this photo illustrates how little chance a rodent would have of escaping those talons once the hawk gets close.
On an unrelated note:
I hope you’ll forgive this reminder. If I know my readers, and I think I do, I’m preaching to the choir with many of you.
But as they say “every vote matters” so please don’t forget to cast your ballot and make your voice heard. This is mine, completed and ready to mail later this morning.
Ron
Beautiful shot Ron!
I will certainly be voting but in Missouri.
Charlotte
Good, doesn’t matter where. Thanks, Charlotte.
Legs, wings, talons, face: you nailed them all. I went out on our monthly marine bird survey this morning; so fogged in we couldn’t see more than a couple hundred feet. Just got our ballots in the mail: won’t miss this election, I promise.
Good! Thank you, Lyle.
Awe and wonder. I do love those trousers. And the wing fling. And would love to perfect that scowl.
Voting is compulsory here.
Compulsory voting is an interesting concept, EC. I can see both pluses and minuses but Americans sure have a crappy percentage of people who vote.
Fabulous hawk photo, can’t get enough of RTs so very glad you added this one. No matter what posture they’re in (and I love this one!), hawks are definitely bad*** birds! 😁
And I may be tempting fate, but I never vote by mail (unless I’m going to be away) because I love to walk down to my polling place and cast my ballot in person on Election Day. Been doing it every election since 1972 and hope to continue ’til I’m unable to think reasonably rationally. Or the state finally does away with polling places in favor of vote-by-mail. 🇺🇸
Thanks, Chris.
Ha, not being able to think rationally doesn’t keep a lot of folks from voting these days… 🙂
Ron, a wonderful photo of this beautiful red-tailed hawk. The hawk looks like it is effortlessly floating in the air.
If I’m lucky enough, I’ll see some birds/wildlife at Antelope Island tomorrow….excited about the trip.
Thank you, Ron
I hope you have a good time, Alice. Thanks.
Great picture of hawk that means business!!! THANKS FOR DOING WHAT YOU CAN TO GET OUT THE VOTE…SO INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT!!! I have a Bald Eagle- headed cane with “VOTE LIKE YOUR RIGHTS DEPEND ON IT”
That sounds like a great cane, Patty. I hope folks notice it.
In the picture of your absentee ballot envelope, I saw that you get free postage. Here, in California, we have to find 97 cents worth of stamps
Wow, that’s a lot. Mine actually isn’t an absentee ballot. All registered voters have a ballot sent to them that we can use and mail in or go to a traditional voting place and vote the old fashioned way.
In MT ours are 50 cents this year – price depends on how much stuff is on the ballot. Of course, they’re trying to stop groups from collection those ballots from folks who can’t afford it or make it to the post office………SO much fraud! 😮 HA!
Beautiful picture and something I may never get to see in person.
I grew up with a Grandmother who was an election judge as long as I can remember and was taught voting was required. I sent my ballot in the day after it arrived in the mail. I just wish having done so would exempt me from having to hear all the political ads now that I have made my choice.
That’s one of the blessings of watching very little TV, Betty. I rarely see any of those ads anymore. Thanks.
Those legs are very impressive – they make me glad I’m not a rodent… And the overall bird and posture are gorgeous. This shot reminds me that yesterday we caught our first glimpse of the female Northern Harrier that hangs out at the park during the winter, which made my day. Definitely plan to get out and vote, most likely today. We don’t have the luxury of mail-in ballots. I may be part of the choir, but it’s always good to remind people to vote, especially these days.
Susan, as much time as I spend photographing raptors I’m often still surprised by how long their legs really are when I see a flight posture like this one.
I’m reminding everyone to vote. The young man at Taco Bell even. And I cast my ballot on Saturday at the mall. 🙂 I might be a choir member but it’s a song we need to sing. That’s a very determined hawk 🙂
Good. Thanks, Arwen.
Ron – hate to fall back to a most overused adjective, but what an awesome photo. How about stunning or breathtaking? Love that intense I am going to get you look. Good point about how long the legs are when extended. You rarely ever see that.
Everett Sanborn
Prescott AZ
PS: my 1st vote was in 1960 and have never missed one since. Local, state, national, have never ever failed to vote.
Thank you, Everett.
I thought I’d voted in that election too but hell, I was only 13 years old! My first one was actually in ’68, Nixon vs Humphrey. There was a villain in that election too but we didn’t yet know how sinister he would become.
I’m with Judy. I want to bitch, so I vote. Always. My parents would come back from the dead and beat the crap out of me if I didn’t. 😉 (They took me canvassing starting at 5 years old.) Gonna go through my ballot tonight.
Oh, and by the way, gorgeous shot. I love those wing fling poses!
Thanks, Marty. If I couldn’t bitch about politics (when is THAT ever going to happen, especially in Utah!) I’d find something else to take its place…
I’m so glad that you thought to include this shot– it’s the very essence of DRAMA . And I’m gratified, too, for the reminder–mine was “in” several days ago–but I’m hoping
that everyone is newly cognizant of just how important every vote is, and will keep on remembering EVERY YEAR FROM NOW ON !
I hope they do too, Kris. IMO informed (and I emphasize “informed”) citizens voting is vital to our very survival these days. Thank you.
Another gorgeous photo of the dark morph red tailed hawk! 🙂 The stretch of it’s wings and “tail up” are great! I’m still in love with it’s color. 🙂 Ballot in the mail the day after I got it last week. I grew up with an aunt who was 21 before women had the vote plus her philosophy was “if you don’t vote, don’t bitch” and I DO like to do some of the latter! 🙂
I think I’d have liked your aunt, Judy! Thank you.