In effect this is Part 3 of my recent Red-tailed Hawk series.
Six days ago I photographed a pair of Red-tailed Hawks in northern Utah as they mated. My first post about them included photos of the male as he flew toward the female for mating and my second post included photos of the actual mating.
Today we continue the story.
Immediately after mating the male flew almost straight up to the top of the cliff above him and perched there for a few moments but he didn’t stay long. Today’s post is a series of photos of him taking off and then flying along the top of the cliff edge.
My narrative will be brief. The photos speak mostly for themselves.
We have liftoff.
I skipped a frame here because his wing position cast a lot of shadows on his body. I like this next shot much better.
This photo makes me smile because it almost looks like he’s laying spread-eagle on top of the rocks.
I was amazed that he gave me a great head turn with good eye contact for the entire eleven image series. In my experience that simply never happens – they always seem to look away at some point, sometimes for the entire series..
I skipped two more photos in the series to get to this one. There are no skips in the rest of the series. This was the only photo that was just a little bit soft.
Here his nictitating membrane is covering the front third of his eye giving him a slightly spooky look.
He was already far off the ground when he took off but the cliffs behind him are fairly high so…..
he continued to gain elevation because his intention was to…
land on top of the even higher cliff he’s approaching now.
This is the last shot I’m including here because after it was taken he quickly rose even higher so I began to cut off body parts. He soon disappeared over the highest part of the cliff behind him.
Immediately after losing him I wondered if his mate might take off and follow him so I aimed my lens her way far to my left.
She was still on the rocky ledge where they had mated only moments before but she had her eyes glued on her mate as he disappeared over the cliff.
Blog followers know that I’ve been stewing about purchasing Canon’s new 1D X Mark III camera for its many upgrades, most especially for its much improved focusing abilities. But because of the current unstable world situation and after much angst I’ve finally decided that this isn’t the time to invest that much money (almost $8000 including necessary accessories and taxes) into something like a fancy-ass camera.
So I was highly encouraged by this series of red-tail photos. Even though I cut off body parts in some of my photos I managed to keep focus locked on the hawk for the entire 17 photo series in spite of the very close background in many of the images.
I’m impressed. I think my old 7D II did pretty damned well even though it’s nearly six years old.
I can live with it for a while longer.
Ron
Note: For anyone who missed the first two series and wants to see them consecutively I’ll include links to them below. From beginning to end the 27 photos in the three posts represent 6+ minutes in the lives of a mated pair of Red-tailed Hawks:
I’m a day behind (and more than a dollar short) but have to say I love, love, love these RT hawk photos — and am especially enamored of Nos. 4, 6 and 11, where his wings are spread flat out. Seems most of the time we see them with wings up, ready for take-off, or down, whether perched or in flight — these give a real sense of their magical flying abilities. Not explaining (or even understanding) myself very well, but there you have it.
So happy you’ve found this pair! Still hoping for nesting activities, but even without, they’re still wonderful.
Beautiful photos, Ron!!
Thanks, Joanne.
Nicely done, Ron. I was pressed for time this morning, so I decided to save your post for “dessert.” Well worth the wait!!!! Thanks again!
I’m glad you enjoyed your dessert, Diane. Thank you.
I find an outrageous magic in raptors, especially redtails and HAHAs! In MY world, they define beauty!
As we would say down here ‘bloody brilliant’
Well done.
Well thanks, Gary. Sometimes we say it up here too but we shamelessly stole it from you guys… 🙂
Beautiful shots, Ron! It’s not just the camera that takes those shots — it’s the guy looking into it! Fabulous!
I figure that now that he’s “done the deed,” it’s time to fly off and brag to the fellas! 🤣
Thanks, Marty. Unless I missed some birds I think he’d have had to fly quite a distance to find another red-tail to brag about his exploits!
I’ve heard the term “predictive tracking”. Not sure if the term applies to you; if it doesn’t then it should. I know you have talked about anticipating take-off direction. In any case, you’re getting awfully good at it.
The fourth “spread eagle” shot reminds me of a Manta ray skimming the ocean floor.
“predictive tracking”
I like that term, Lyle. It’s new to me but I suspect there’s some of that involved in a situation like this.
Awe. Wonder. Delight.
Which are the reasons I choose to start my morning with you.
Even on mornings like this one when the thought of a cuppa is anathema.
“Even on mornings like this one when the thought of a cuppa is anathema”
I don’t think I’ve ever had a morning like that as an adult. That doesn’t sound good, EC…
Nausea is a sucky beast.
Great series! If you can maintain focus for 17 frames, I don’t think you need an upgrade. The reader that wrote he was considering a Nikon 500mm f 5.6 probably knows that they have been unavailable since long before the Coronavirus.
Thanks, John. There are still availability problems with the 1 DX Mark III also but I have a source where I could have bought one now.
Birds can fly by so quick that getting a quick glimpse is all you get. So to see this series of ever movement in flight is awesome.
The look in his eyes is saying, this ones for you😃
Thank you, Diana.
Very lovely series of flight shots.
How often do you upgrade to a new camera?
Well, I’ve had the 7D II for six years now, but if they’d have come up with a good upgrade even several years ago I’d probably have bought it. So the answer is – it depends on how often they upgrade, what improvements the upgrade has and of course cost.
My 7DII does the same. I thought it was me and my inability to follow a moving bird. The day I was photographing the osprey the focus would lock on the most insignificant minute foreground and by the time it focused back on the osprey I had missed the dive or the take off with the fish. It was frustrating. I would have the bird nicely in the frame but totally out of focus.
April, If you’re referring to my Short-eared Owl story there’s more to it than I mentioned. I mistakenly had the center 4 focus points active when it took off. I think if I’d only had one focus point active, as is my habit in those situations, I’d have had a much better chance to keep him in focus, even with the 7DII.
Awesome raptors as Jo Ann commented, and of course an awesome photographer as well. Looking at these takeoff and flight photos I could not help being reminded what an influence our birds had on our early aviation pioneers.
You’re right, Everett. Many early aviators and later aeronautical engineers studied bird flight in their endeavors.
These are all fantastic in fact this has been a great series with these two! They have to be the most beautiful pair that I have seen. I agree with Steven…it’s not the camera as much as the hands that hold it!
Thanks for your confidence in my abilities, Kathy. But there are limits… 🙂
Magnificent series ! There’s a lot to be said for having older equipment–
your comfort level with your gear really showed when you were presented
with such a fine opportunity……..
Good point, Kris. Comfort level is a key player, that’s for sure.
Wow, Ron!! Your series of these spectacular RTHs is mind blowing. However, the fact that it all lasted just 6 minutes is hard for my mind to comprehend. They are such awesome raptors.
Thank you, Judy. Yes the time involved with that number of photos can be misleading, until you realize that my camera takes 10 photos/second in a burst.
I am with you about spending the extra money right now Ron. I need to slim down the 14 pounds that my Nikon d850 with 400mm f/2.8 attached weighs and am looking at a Nikon full frame mirrorless with the new slim 500mmPF. All together the Z7 body, lens and adapter weighs just over 5 lbs. That would be a game changer for me at 73 years old !!! Hopefully I can sell the 400mm for a big chunk of the $7000 needed to go mirrorless !!
I am loving your images of the Red Tail hawks. Next to Osprey they are my favorite bird !!!
I wish you luck with your gear quest, Gary. For my typical shooting style from my pickup the weight of my gear isn’t much of an issue.
Like you, I often shoot out my window using a Grizzley bean bag and my SUV as a mobile blind. But at Yellowstone we are always getting out of the truck and “chasing” the image. Even still, I find the 14 Pounds and the length of the d850/400mm combined is unweildly behind the steering wheel.
WOW! Wonderful series – “old” camera still “has it” in YOUR hands….. 🙂 The 4th shot where he appears to be splayed on the rocks is amazing – actually I love them all with his intensity of movement and his gorgeous colors! World is still good with things like this in it……. 🙂
“World is still good with things like this in it……. 🙂”
I loved that! Thank you, Judy.
I also loved reading about your rattlesnake encounter on FB yesterday. And you were even prepared with your camera!
Nephew saw it/them – not me – yet…….. 😉
I misunderstood. I thought it was you.
Really liked his comment about them having a right to use the trail also.. 🙂
I have been told it is not the camera, but the person holding the camera that matters. You have proven that over and over again.
Thanks very much, Steven. What you say is mostly true but once you reach certain limits with your camera it can be frustrating at times to not be able to go beyond that.
For example, last week I photographed a Short-eared Owl perched on sagebrush with a vole in its beak. While perched it was too far away for quality shots but it took off straight at me flying very low and came plenty close.
But my 7DII active focusing point left the owl and locked onto the sagebrush as soon as the bird took off and I couldn’t reacquire focus on the owl. I don’t think that would have happened with the 1D X Mark III. That one hurt.