Largely because of this unrelenting, soul-sapping heat it had been nine days since I’d been out photographing birds, so yesterday morning I decided to hell with the heat and went anyway. Of course, the first and ‘best’ bird I photographed all morning was another Red-tailed Hawk.
1/4000, f/5.6, ISO 640, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
The juvenile red-tail (a male I believe, based on its pencil-thin tarsi thickness) launched toward me and at an angle as he pushed off mostly with one foot, which provided a leaning, asymmetrical takeoff posture I like a lot. He even cooperated with a head turn that put light on his face and in his eye. He’s sharp throughout, I like the setting and background and the warm early morning light was a bonus.
About 95% of my photos are cropped to the 5×7 aspect ratio I usually prefer but for this image I thought that composition was too long horizontally, so I cropped it to a more squarish 4×5 aspect ratio which I think works better.
You’re probably going to see more photos of this hawk in the future. I intended to post some of them this morning but I have a busy day ahead of me so I didn’t have time to work them up.
Ron
Notes:
- In case you’re interested, we hit 106° F. at the airport yesterday. Yes, some areas of California and elsewhere were hotter but our elevation in Salt Lake City is 4300′.
- As of 6:30 this morning, as far as I can tell WordPress still hasn’t sent out my post email to blog subscribers. If you haven’t received yours, that’s why.
“Look at that, Bill! Number 23 hit that ball hard! And it’s outta…no! Oh what a heartbreaker for our home team.”
“Heartbreaker, indeed, Ron. But you have to give it up for that outfielder. RedTail sure can make the pivot AND stretch for that amazing home run steal of a catch!”
He robbed the batter!
Lololol! A fellow baseball lover, I take it.
He is an absolute balletic beauty – even if his pantaloons are closer to leggings…
Those upper leg feathers are hugging his legs pretty tightly, aren’t they EC.
Great shot – like the aspect ratio and like many of the comments re Kelly and Astaire. Cannon finally shipping my repaired camera back today. They can provide fast service, but if they don’t have the part on hand that is a whole different story.
Oh boy! This is a keeper – great pose and setting! Excellent exposure of his legs and feet! Like this shot a lot 🙂
Kathleen, thanks for noticing the exposure on his legs and feet. As you apparently know, they can be a very difficult exposure for birds with light colored legs and feet – especially many raptors.
Ray Bolger, aka the Scarecrow in Wiz of Oz.
😁
Great shot. I guess all the Red Tails are up there. I don’t remember the last time I saw one. Usually have them soaring over head.
Jo, yesterday I noticed that even our red-tails are thinning out – probably because many of the juveniles are dispersing.
Did see one yesterday on my way home from town. They are supposed to be in Arkansas year around.
Another great shot. Really enjoy seeing the various body parts frozen in action. Helps one appreciate the form and function of the parts that make the whole.
Thank you, Michael.
Great shot !! l Love the leaning takeoff and composition. Hopefully you and the birds get a break in the heat out there…..
Yes, hopefully. Thanks, Gary.
Beautiful feather patterns all up and down this one. If Astaire or Kelly had wings they couldn’t bust a move better than this. I do like your choice of aspect ratio
Believe it or not Lyle, I also thought of Fred Astair when I saw this bird in this pose. To my eye, Kelly was just a little too… chubby?
Oh great. Now I have to look up gene Kelly and think about whether or not he is chubby. Never going to get to work
Frances, I actually don’t think Kelly was chubby. But Astaire certainly was thinner.
Dancers would describe Kelly as “muscular” or “athletic.” Astaire was more “elegant” or “lithe.” When you see them side by side, Astaire is also a bit taller than Kelly. Their styles were completely different but they performed together enough times so that the differences between them were quite obvious. They were both great performers.
Sue, as soon as I made that comment I wondered if you’d weigh in. Glad you did.
And I agree, they were both wonderful performers.
“Dynamic” is the word for this shot–Red Tail or any other species– if it has
this kind of verve, I love it !
Good. Thanks, Kris.
Your Red-tailed Hawk image is the essence of power and beauty..
Thanks very much, Kenneth.
What a neat capture! 🙂 The “stretch” is incredible. Glad you were able to get out and some birds cooperated! 😉
Mid 80’s yesterday but 100 and wind today then high of 59 Fri. with close to freezing Fri. night and back into the high 80’s by Sun. – of course, you know “the drill” here…;)
Thanks, Judy. Yes, the “roller coaster” of temps in MT this time of year. I remember it well.
Love his stretching twistiness and all those great color and pattern variations and terrible talons – thanks Ron
“stretching twistiness”
I like that, Frances. Thank you.