![\"\"](\"https:\/\/featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/red-tailed-hawk-9758b-ron-dudley.jpg\" "\\"red-tailed-hawk-9758b-ron-dudley\\"")
<\/a><\/p>\n1\/2000, f\/7.1, ISO 500, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f\/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in<\/em><\/p>\n The female was perched high up on this rocky ledge but I was looking somewhere else when the male swooped in so sadly\u00a0I missed his approach shots. He actually landed on her back. I got\u00a0dozens of photos of the\u00a0mating but many were similar or had other issues so I’m only including two\u00a0shots of the actual act. The birds weren’t particularly close to me but I thought it was a\u00a0wonderful setting for the encounter.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n 1\/2500, f\/7.1, ISO 500, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f\/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in<\/em><\/p>\n As is often the case they struggled to get the job done. Bodies were intertwined in such a way that it was often difficult to tell which tail belonged to which bird. At one point the male appeared to be about to give up but they both persevered and\u00a0eventually succeeded.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n 1\/2000, f\/7.1, ISO 500, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f\/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in<\/em><\/p>\n When it was over the male exited stage right and climbed the rocky slope next to the original perch.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n 1\/2000, f\/7.1, ISO 500, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f\/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in<\/em><\/p>\n The female continued to hold her tail in the air for some time after his exit. The male surveyed his kingdom from this slightly higher perch\u00a0for a few moments and then…<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n 1\/2000, f\/7.1, ISO 500, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f\/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in<\/em><\/p>\n flew a short distance\u00a0to the right and immediately began to search for nesting material to deliver to the nest under construction. He was so close to the female during his search I had to wonder if he was deliberately attempting to show her that he was a worthy recipient of her amorous attention.<\/p>\n He’s about to pick up the long, thin twig directly in front of his left foot.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n 1\/1600, f\/7.1, ISO 500, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f\/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in<\/em><\/p>\n He\u00a0then carried that twig to the nest. This isn’t a great photo but it does demonstrate the behavior and I enjoy the way his shadow has fallen directly on the rock below. I have better shots of these birds in flight with nesting material but I include this one because he’s carrying the twig he picked up immediately after mating.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n