Red-tailed Hawk – A Sideways Takeoff

Yes, another Red-tailed Hawk. But this takeoff and early flight are quite different from anything else I’ve posted recently.

 

1/4000, f/6.3, ISO 800, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in

Five days ago I found this juvenile Red-tailed Hawk on a lofty perch as ‘he’ was scanning the flats below him for prey. For this shot I deliberately placed him in the upper right part of the frame to allow for this somewhat unconventional composition, which I think works well since he’s looking down the cliffside at a steep angle. He was pretty relaxed up there, as suggested by his one-footed stance.

When he eventually took off he surprised me by taking off sideways, which gave me some flight shots that are somewhat unusual due to his angled body positions.

The following eight photos are sequential without any skips.

 

 

1/3200, f/6.3, ISO 800, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in

His asymmetrical wing position at this point in his takeoff gave me the first hint that he’d be taking off sideways, but of course I didn’t realize it at the time because it happened so fast.

 

 

1/3200, f/6.3, ISO 800, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in

I’ve always liked photos like this one with the wings spanning the frame from corner to diagonal corner, probably in part because I get them so rarely.

Some photographers have been known to misleadingly rotate their images to achieve this effect so I must not be the only one who likes this type of photo. Birds always keep their head level in flight, even when the rest of their body is at a very different angle, so flight shots that have had sneaky, dishonest rotation are often easy to spot.

 

 

1/4000, f/6.3, ISO 800, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in

The downstroke, providing acceleration and lift.

 

 

1/4000, f/6.3, ISO 800, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in

His sideways body angle is becoming even more exaggerated but his head is still level.

 

 

1/4000, f/6.3, ISO 800, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in

I knew I’d have to get at least one shot with his nictitating membrane closed. I just wish it hadn’t been this one.

 

 

1/4000, f/6.3, ISO 800, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in

I’ve deliberately cropped this photo to give us one last look at the rock he took off from. He still hasn’t traveled very far.

 

 

1/4000, f/6.3, ISO 800, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in

Gaining speed and beginning to level out a little.

 

 

1/4000, f/6.3, ISO 800, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in

After this photo I got ten more sharp shots of him in flight (two with clipped wings and one with his membrane closed) but this is the last one I’ll include because he transitioned to more typical, more level flight.

 

As I mentioned in a previous post, this bird was one of about 30 Red-tailed Hawks I saw that day and the vast majority of them were juveniles. Yes, I’m very glad that some of them provided me with interesting photo-ops but the fact that red-tails seem to have had a very productive breeding season pleases me far more.

Ron

 

49 Comments

  1. There’s just something special about redtails! And especially (in my heart) about the dark(er) morphs. It’s enough to lift my very heavy spirits for a while, Thank you, but I’m going to have to look back at the rest of your redtail posts 😉
    Hi everybody! Sorry I’ve Been absent so long, but my seventh decade is proving to be a challenge figuring out how to be both elderly (when the heck did THAT happen) and now pretty severely handicapped. Thus far, I’m failing. The biggest issue is I’ve lost the ability to type. All that’s left is one index finger. All the other fingers are beyond my control.
    The other issue is I broke my femur again–same leg, only higher up. The resulting surgery left my leg roughly an inch shorter and rotated almost a quarter turn to the outside. Walking is not good, they’re talking about another surgery to replace my hip, femur and knee. Now there’s a scary thought.
    Well enough of my struggles! Again, thank you SO much for this series of OUTSTANDING photos!! You, sir, still rock a camera! And WONDERFUL news that you have the quarry to feed a whole bunch of new redtails!! Here, not so much.

    • It is lovely to hear from you Laura. I think of you often. I am sorry about your disabilities and so grateful you used your one working finger to type such a long comment.

    • Dang Laura, am I ever glad to hear from you!

      I think of you often, including each and every time I post photos of red-tails. I’ve learned so much from your comments, including the fact that tarsi thickness can be used as a fairly reliable indicator of sex in that species.

      I wish you the VERY best with all of your challenges. You’ll be here in spirit, especially on raptor posts, whether you comment or not.

    • WOW! Hope they can get you in better shape then you are at present. I DO miss you here……..

    • Arwen Professional Joy Seeker

      Yikes! Getting old is not for the faint-of-heart! Hope you find some relief.

    • Good to hear from you, Laura, since I wondered what was keeping you from posting. Mobility problems must be especially challenging for someone who has been as active as you. Hope modern medicine can get your leg in better shape for walking.

    • Every time Ron posts a Red-tail photo, you come to mind, Laura! It is wonderful to see you here again, and you can be sure Friends of Ron & Feathered Photography are rooting for you & the docs to find the right treatment(s) so you can enjoy your 7th decade and beyond. ♥️

    • So wonderful to hear from you LC. I wish you were feeling better- you have such a great attitude but I suppose that is being put to the test. I think of you often – especially when watching our Cornell RTHA family and when Ron posts the gorgeous red tails.
      Eons!

    • Yikes!!! Well, voice dictation is becoming more reliable almost month by month, so perhaps that is a possibility for you down the road. In the meantime, though, what of the other species in your area, especially vultures? Have they made trips back to visit you? Here’s hoping this finds you resting comfortably!

    • Laura, I’ve missed you! I’m so sorry you’re going through all of this. Sending all the good vibes your way. ❤️

  2. Charlotte Norton

    Fantastic series Ron,thanks for sharing!

    Charlotte Norton

  3. Arwen Lynch-Poe, Professional Joy Seeker

    Looks like this fledgling is on its way to some really fabulous maneuvering!

  4. Wow, hard to pick a favorite… I’ll just say I love all of these shots❗️

  5. Two many red-tails would be barely enough – which I am sure that Laura would tell you.
    Yet another delightful series. Juvenile he/she might be, but that pesky flight thing has been mastered well.

  6. Wow! The one with his closed nictitating membrane is very cool! And coming after the other power shots, it’s like he’s just pushed the button for Superman “warp-speed”.
    So interesting about the diagonal wing/level head position and how to tell if the photo has been manipulated. As others have said, we learn so much from you every day!

  7. Wonderful series Ron!

  8. I’m thrilled to see more of your young Red-tails today! It is great to know their nesting and fledging were so successful this year — and surprising, given drought usually means less prey. I cannot pick a favorite from among this selection of images … although I am partial to the wing-fling and pantaloons of #2.

  9. Fabulous series! Each shot is a gem! Did not know about Red Tails staying ‘level headed’ while they rotate their bodies! Very interesting! Love how you positioned the hawk in #1. Very majestic!

  10. Great series. That head staying fixed is interesting to see and your photos show it very wellj in a wild bird. Watch a captive raptor (or any bird) on a handler’s glove. As the handler moves the bird gently up and down or right to left, that head stays firmly in place as much as it can. Fun to watch.

    • ” As the handler moves the bird gently up and down or right to left, that head stays firmly in place”.

      Exactly, Dan. I’ll add that the bird also keeps its head level as the handler rotates the rest of its body. Very neat to watch.

  11. Oh, wow! So many corner to corner shots. You must have done something right in your childhood! And that downhill stare in the first shot is enough to chill any creature’s blood. What a fabulous day. No apologies needed, no matter the species, with shots like these.

    • “You must have done something right in your childhood”

      Ha, not very often and usually by mistake, Granny Pat. I was a bit of a hellion.

    • Arwen Professional Joy Seeker

      Lovely ear worm. 😉 Sound of Music’s Something Good has a line very similar to “must have done something right.”

      • Aha! I knew I’d heard that expression somewhere. Thanks for the memory. I was thinking along the lines of “things old people say”. Oh, wait I’m one of those old people now! 😂

  12. Seeing so many juvenile Redtails in one day, must make you feel that at least that species is doing well.It’s the time of the year when all the “teenagers” are leaving home. I, also. get the idea that you are enjoying the heck out of your R5.

  13. Everett F Sanborn

    Remarkable series. Interesting that you noted that his head stays level even though he is flying sideways. Thanks to Frances for mentioning that she learned something new. I think I learn something every time I log in and watch your post. Can’t escape without at least one nictitating membrane photo. I was surprised by Dick’s mention of the dark Red-tails of the West. Just took them for granted. I spent the first 40 years of my life in the east and now 44 years here in the west, but was not a birder in the east.
    My favorites are the last two.

    • “Can’t escape without at least one nictitating membrane photo.”

      Everett. I liken it to photos of people with their eyes closed from blinking. It happens, often at the most inopportune time.

  14. Michael McNamara

    You may have posted a lot of Red-tailed photos, but I think these may be the best so far. The sequence really shows how they throw their whole body into the effort of taking flight; the head gyroscopically leads the way. Even the legs extend and contract as a kinetic counterbalance for stability.

    Photo 1: “…somewhat unconventional composition…” I’d say the correct composition. That’s artistry.

    Photos 3-5: Just stunning.

    Keep them coming!

  15. Once again you’ve found a Red-tailed that pretty much defies the standard descriptors. This one’s coloration appears quite uniform from head to tail. The dark patagial is barely visible on the left wing. It being a juvenile, it’s not surprising that the tail shows no red, but that also adds to the distinctive look. The contrast of the almost white legs and black talons is striking.
    And I did not know about the built-in gyroscope in their head.
    Thanks for sharing.

  16. Wonderful shots. And today I learned that a one-footed perch suggests relaxation and flying birds keep their heads horizontal – a great start for my morning Ron – thank you

  17. WOW! Wonderful series, Ron. 🙂 #2 is particularly neat…..

  18. Beautiful shots, love the West’s dark Red-tails!

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