{"id":28900,"date":"2015-01-11T07:08:53","date_gmt":"2015-01-11T14:08:53","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.featheredphotography.com\/blog\/?p=28900"},"modified":"2015-01-11T07:35:16","modified_gmt":"2015-01-11T14:35:16","slug":"a-gluttonous-red-tailed-hawk","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/featheredphotography.com\/blog\/2015\/01\/11\/a-gluttonous-red-tailed-hawk\/","title":{"rendered":"A Gluttonous Red-tailed Hawk"},"content":{"rendered":"

When food is plentiful raptors take advantage of the situation. Tomorrow things might be different.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"red-tailed<\/p>\n

\u00a01\/3200, f\/6.3, ISO 500, Canon 7D, Canon<\/em> EF500mm f\/4L IS II USM +1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in<\/strong><\/p>\n

I found this juvenile Red-tailed Hawk on a leaning post in Farmington this past September. The bird had just captured a vole and its obvious intent was to consume it on this perch but it was close to a road and the occasional passing vehicle made it just a little bit nervous. As you can see by the hawks posture it’s prepared for instant flight with its prize if necessary.<\/p>\n

Notice the already bulging crop – this bird had been eating well recently and\u00a0was still prepared to eat again.\u00a0The post was on the edge of a pasture that was\u00a0probably teeming with voles. The splotchy phragmites background likely won’t appeal to some but the hawk stands out well enough that it really doesn’t bother me.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"red-tailed<\/p>\n

\u00a01\/2500, f\/7.1, ISO 500, Canon 7D, Canon<\/em> EF500mm f\/4L IS II USM, not baited, set up or called in<\/strong><\/p>\n

The hawk made quick work of the vole and swallowed most of it in one gulp after first turning the rodent inside-out.\u00a0I’ll spare you the gory details and photos.<\/p>\n

These images reminded me of the sharpness I used to get with my 500mm lens before something apparently went out of whack. The lens is scheduled to arrive at the Canon Service Center on Tuesday and I’m hoping for a quick fix and return. In the meantime I’m going through serious withdrawal and posting images taken before the malfunction. I posted three images of this bird back in September but these two are new to my blog.<\/p>\n

Ron<\/p>\n

Addendum:\u00a0 As an afterthought I decided to include one more image to show you my major photographic frustration during\u00a0the session with this hawk.<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"red-tailed<\/p>\n

\u00a01\/2500, f\/7.1, ISO 500, Canon 7D, Canon<\/em> 100-400 @ 220mm, not baited, set up or called in<\/strong><\/p>\n

The ugly building in the background simply could not be avoided when the hawk took off after its meal. Too bad, because I really like the take-off posture. And yes, that crop is really bulging now – to the point that the feather’s aren’t laying flat.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

When food is plentiful raptors take advantage of the situation. Tomorrow things might be different.<\/p>\n

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