I just got lucky!

Gallery: AvianPosted November 20, 2009471 views21 comments

This is my favorite raptor image yet! I live in N. Illinois and in the winter of 08 we had an invasion of Rough Legged Hawks come down!
There had to be 7-8 different birds hunting in a relatively small area at one of our state parks! I had a blind over looking a south facing hillside that a couple of hawks seemed to prefer, when I got this shot! I was able to get a bunch more from this one episode and I'll post them in time, but this is by far my best!

Enjoy!

Don (Wags)

Canon Mark 3
600mm Lens
ISO 350
F4 @ 1/1250

Comments

21 comments

Comment posted by Neil Rossmiller on November 20, 2009 at 9:45 AM

Hello Don,
Great in flight shot! Very dynamic.
The grasses give it a sense of time and place for the mouse and the flat light gives it great shadow detail.
My only wish would be for some kind of catch light in the eye!
I'll look forward to more in the series.
Very Nice!
Neil

Registered on October 30, 2009, 156 Posts, 749 Comments

Comment posted by Carrie O'Brien-Sib on November 20, 2009 at 11:10 AM

You sure did get lucky! You nailed it, Don! Fabulous photo!

Registered on August 4, 2009, 149 Posts, 889 Comments

Comment posted by Max Waugh on November 20, 2009 at 11:51 AM

Great detail, and what a nice pose. Nice job shooting well under pressure and capturing just the right moment.

Max

Registered on September 26, 2008, 428 Posts, 2329 Comments

Comment posted by Monica Siri on November 20, 2009 at 12:40 PM

Don,
you got a superb shot. Great action, great timing!

Registered on September 20, 2009, 132 Posts, 3764 Comments

Comment posted by Daniel & Loana on November 20, 2009 at 12:57 PM

Incredible shot. Congratulations

daniel

Registered on October 7, 2008, 166 Posts, 3044 Comments

Comment posted by Roger Leekam on November 20, 2009 at 1:17 PM

Excellent shot, dramatic and sharp throughout. To get the whole bird sharp at f4 I think is fortunate.

Registered on May 28, 2009, 83 Posts, 646 Comments

Comment posted by Derrick Lipinski on November 20, 2009 at 2:58 PM

Amazing Capture, Don; congratulations!

Registered on October 5, 2007, 58 Posts, 2039 Comments

Comment posted by John W Lee on November 20, 2009 at 6:05 PM

There's more to it than luck! As Gary Player said "The more I practice, the luckier I get!". Super shot.

John

Registered on February 17, 2006, 24 Posts, 129 Comments

Comment posted by Ron Dudley on November 20, 2009 at 7:23 PM

I like this unusual perspective Don. Exposure looks good in a challenging situation and having the rodent down this low so it has a snow background makes it more obvious. I'm glad the grasses were there. I might have placed the bird a bit more left in the frame since it seems to be coming right at you but that's minor and a matter of taste.

Registered on March 30, 2007, 437 Posts, 10915 Comments

Comment posted by John Tobias on November 20, 2009 at 10:18 PM

Great photo, will look forward to seeing more of your work.

Registered on September 12, 2009, 2120 Posts, 6455 Comments

Comment posted by Gary Gulash on November 21, 2009 at 1:21 AM

Very dynamic image, love the way he's coming directly at you and the mouse in talon explains what's going on. Excellent exposure. I might add a little canvas to the right side to balance the comp a bit. I would love to have an invasion of "something" around here, RLH would be nice!!!

Registered on January 28, 2005, 879 Posts, 12098 Comments

Comment posted by Marcy Ugstad on November 21, 2009 at 1:54 AM

Amazing capture, Don!! Talk about being in the right place at the right time! Excellent job.

Marcy

Registered on September 10, 2009, 27 Posts, 54 Comments

Comment posted by Ken Archer on November 21, 2009 at 6:01 AM

Smoking shot Don!!!

Ken Archer

Registered on October 28, 2004, 222 Posts, 6683 Comments

Comment posted by mark cillo on November 21, 2009 at 8:58 AM

Amazing shot! I would love to see a larger version of this one.

Registered on July 27, 2008, 143 Posts, 1483 Comments

Comment posted by Joe James on November 21, 2009 at 10:31 AM

Great shot! In addition to luck it's patience, preparation and skill and you nailed them all. Well done.

Registered on November 20, 2009, 89 Posts, 808 Comments

Comment posted by Anthony Vincent on November 21, 2009 at 11:18 AM

Thats frickin awesome. Solid comp and detail. What park were they in?
Great shot Don

Registered on February 5, 2009, 199 Posts, 2775 Comments

Comment posted by Don Wagner on November 21, 2009 at 1:26 PM

Thanks for all the great comments! This shot took allot of cold, numb toes and fingers to get!! The park is Chain of Lakes in N Illinois (my back yard!) I'm looking forward to Jan. with hopes of more visitors!!

Registered on November 19, 2009, 12 Posts, 21 Comments

Comment posted by Ian Mason on November 21, 2009 at 3:11 PM

Superb! Looking forward to seeing more.

Registered on December 14, 2005, 399 Posts, 2305 Comments

Comment posted by Douglas Graham on November 21, 2009 at 7:11 PM

This is really nice Don love everything about it. However it begs for the larger version.

Registered on May 14, 2009, 123 Posts, 522 Comments

Comment posted by Rob Drummond on November 22, 2009 at 6:08 AM

Great action Don - love the mayhem with the prey and the falling debris

cheers
Rob

Registered on November 8, 2003, 617 Posts, 8267 Comments

Comment posted by Ron McCombe on November 24, 2009 at 5:02 PM

Hey Don

what an amazing image, an absolute stunner.

I wissh I could get an opportunity t get such an image.

I wouldn't condescend to criticize it in any way

Registered on November 16, 2009, 190 Posts, 207 Comments