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![\"\"](\"https:\/\/featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/red-tailed-hawk-7867b-ron-dudley.jpg\" "\\"red-tailed-hawk-7867b-ron-dudley\\"")
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1\/2000, f\/6.3, ISO 1600, 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 Two days ago I spent a few minutes watching these Red-tailed Hawk chicks through my viewfinder. Typical of raptor chicks in the nest they were uncooperative in the posing department so I didn’t take many photos. But I kept watching them with my finger on the shutter button and hoping against hope that a miraculous moment would occur where everything came together. For a split second and for this single photo, it did.<\/p>\n There were four chicks in the nest but all three of them that we can clearly see popped up high enough out of the bowl of the nest in almost choreographed poses that allowed me to see their heads, faces and upper bodies. And miracle of miracles, there’s a catch light in the eye of all three chicks.<\/p>\n Another thing I had going for me was the clouds in front of the sun that cast diffused light on the nest and chicks which prevented contrasty light and deep shadows. Almost the entire scene is evenly lit which is unusual for this nest. I felt that I had to crank up my ISO in the low light but for this photo I’ll gladly pay that price.<\/p>\n Expecting three raptor chicks to pose this nicely simultaneously is about like expecting the same from three cats or three human babies. It rarely happens so on those occasions when it does you have to be ready.<\/p>\n And more than a little lucky.<\/p>\n Ron<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Note: I won’t go into all the details because regular blog followers probably get tired of reading them but rest assured, these chicks were photographed ethically. No hawks, chicks or adults, were disturbed or even made nervous by my presence.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" ‘Posing perfectly’ and raptor chicks almost never go together but this time was an exception.<\/p>\n