Hawk +2

Gallery: AvianPosted November 11, 20111,520 views29 comments

A mowed field made snake hunting easy for this Red-tailed Hawk. Picture taken this past weekend. The snake put up a fight and tried to hold on to a piece of the landscape. Hawk flew off with the snake still coiled around a piece of branch. Wild bird, not baited. Nikon D300s with 300mm f2.8 lens +1.4 tc. ISO-400, f6.3, Shutter 1/1250. thanks for looking, comment and critique welcomed. Ray

Comments

29 comments

Comment posted by Tonia Graves on November 11, 2011 at 1:09 PM

Ray, great timing on this! The image really tells a story w/ the snake still gripping to the vegetation.

Registered on October 29, 2011, 92 Posts, 1035 Comments

Comment posted by Keith Bauer on November 11, 2011 at 1:29 PM

Excellent image. Great angle for the Red Tail to be flying at you. The background really adds interest for me as well. Maybe just a bit tight in the frame? Very nice work.

Registered on November 20, 2003, 458 Posts, 4836 Comments

Comment posted by Charlie Baugh on November 11, 2011 at 1:45 PM

All around great image. Love the intent, business like expression this hawk conveys.

Registered on April 18, 2011, 329 Posts, 1985 Comments

Comment posted by Richard Ditch on November 11, 2011 at 2:12 PM

Excellent as posted. I like the head-on viewpoint. Very nice image quality. Great action and story.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 1031 Posts, 12705 Comments

Comment posted by Mark Schiebelbein on November 11, 2011 at 3:00 PM

Great job capturing this natural image. Sharp where it needs to be and exposure appears perfect as there is nothing lost on the underside of the bird. The one talon grip is really cool.

Registered on November 8, 2008, 55 Posts, 393 Comments

Comment posted by Angela McCain on November 11, 2011 at 5:56 PM

Fantastic image Ray. The snake holding onto the reed is incredible. What a catch.

Registered on April 19, 2009, 367 Posts, 3589 Comments

Comment posted by Howard Cheek on November 11, 2011 at 8:06 PM

This is outstanding Ray, you won't hear any nits from me. I personally like the closer comp and details it reveals.
Wonderful POV and a great setting with those autumn colors BG. And the wing tip blur conveys motion well also..
The red-tailed image I imagine when I think of the shot I would love to own

Have a nice weekend, great job on this one

Registered on July 24, 2008, 1201 Posts, 10758 Comments

Comment posted by Nate Chappell on November 11, 2011 at 8:14 PM

Wildlife photography at it's best. Great drama, action, eye contact and pleasing environment and bg, big congrats on this one Ray. I'm curious if you were in a car, blind, etc to make this capture? It's such an unusual shot that it would be neat to know a little bit more about how you were able to make it.

Registered on February 1, 2006, 1158 Posts, 19528 Comments

Comment posted by Ray Whitt on November 11, 2011 at 9:07 PM

Thanks Nate, no car or blind. The shot is cropped but I was pretty close to the bird. He was at the top of the slope of the hill and I was a little below him separated by a small ravine. I've been taking pictures of this bird for three years so I'm pretty used to his behavior and I think they are used to my presence. He and his mate usually perch in the same tree at the side of the road or a post in the field. This shot is from a year ago today. He is the bird on the lower branch. When the spot prey its usually about 50 yards away. After landing they usually hop around on the ground chasing a snake. Gives me enough time to get into position, and if I'm lucky and they fly in the right direction I might get a shot. The second image is one of the female taken a couple of days ago about half way up the slope of the hill. She the bird on the top branch. The male will usually fly off with a snake back to the tree. She gulps then down on the ground.

Registered on May 27, 2011, 92 Posts, 2619 Comments

Comment posted by Butch Lama on November 12, 2011 at 12:31 PM

High class shot & excellent as posted. Full of powerful impact & love the BG too.

Registered on July 23, 2010, 42 Posts, 316 Comments

Comment posted by SandyRichardsBrown on November 12, 2011 at 1:12 PM

Excellent catch!! Wonderful pose, sharp head, nicely-blurred wings, GREAT snake and BG.
Well-done!
Sandy

Registered on November 24, 2003, 3937 Posts, 12909 Comments

Comment posted by Charles Gangas on November 12, 2011 at 6:49 PM

Great timing and terrific positioning to capture the approaching flight path. The image offers great detail of both the bird and prey. An outstanding capture and neat story Ray, congrats.

Registered on August 12, 2009, 544 Posts, 2414 Comments

Comment posted by Sharon Hallowell on November 12, 2011 at 7:14 PM

This is just way to cool for words! Love everything about it and the fall foliage bg is dynamite. A TOP NOTCH image! Sharon

Registered on November 1, 2003, 392 Posts, 4810 Comments

Comment posted by Hans Overduin on November 13, 2011 at 7:01 AM

An excellent capture, great action. Well reacted ! Like basically all about this shot . Grtz, Hans

Registered on August 31, 2011, 491 Posts, 3807 Comments

Comment posted by David E Lester on November 13, 2011 at 7:07 AM

Super shot, no nits here...powerfull display of nature...!!

Registered on March 24, 2010, 155 Posts, 793 Comments

Comment posted by Brian Gatlin on November 13, 2011 at 8:41 AM

wow! fantastic action, and a really nice sharp head/eye. love the comp and setting. very cool shot, Ray. maybe would do a little NR on the bg, but just a small suggestion to round out an amazing shot. I'd love to have taken this--congrats in advance on the weekly pick!

Registered on March 21, 2009, 202 Posts, 4187 Comments

Comment posted by May Haga on November 14, 2011 at 10:35 AM

Great action Ray. Nice to get the bird coming towards you.
May

Registered on February 22, 2007, 714 Posts, 8470 Comments

Comment posted by antino cervigni on November 14, 2011 at 12:44 PM

Great capture, wonderful work...
Regards Antino

Registered on April 17, 2010, 70 Posts, 202 Comments

Comment posted by Neal Cooper on November 14, 2011 at 2:42 PM

Very nice sharp image. The action is well captured. Well done.

Registered on June 3, 2009, 144 Posts, 306 Comments

Comment posted by KC Choo on November 15, 2011 at 9:44 PM

This deserves at least the twentieth comment! Excellent work!

Registered on November 15, 2004, 519 Posts, 8278 Comments

Comment posted by SandyRichardsBrown on November 16, 2011 at 5:13 PM

Excellent - congrats on the EP!
Sandy

Registered on November 24, 2003, 3937 Posts, 12909 Comments

Comment posted by Jim DeWitt on November 16, 2011 at 5:27 PM

Superb, Ray; I agree with Nate that this is avian photography at its best. Congratulations on the EP!

Registered on August 28, 2006, 1240 Posts, 8506 Comments

Comment posted by Jim Hackley on November 16, 2011 at 11:20 PM

Wow, what a wonderful flight / action shot with good detail, I like the eye contact and snake, excellent timing to get this, well done.

Registered on September 17, 2009, 302 Posts, 5535 Comments

Comment posted by Ray Whitt on November 17, 2011 at 6:08 AM

Thanks for all the comments and critique, really do appreciate it.

Ray

Registered on May 27, 2011, 92 Posts, 2619 Comments

Comment posted by Jagdeep Rajput on November 17, 2011 at 8:22 AM

A KILLER frame !
Jagdeep Rajput

Registered on April 29, 2008, 686 Posts, 2857 Comments

Comment posted by Andrea Marzorati on November 17, 2011 at 9:08 AM

Excellent work Ray, compliments

Registered on December 1, 2005, 86 Posts, 589 Comments

Comment posted by Oscar Dewhurst on November 18, 2011 at 6:19 PM

Super image!

Oscar

Registered on August 6, 2009, 85 Posts, 502 Comments

Comment posted by Nate Chappell on November 20, 2011 at 10:21 AM

Congrats Ray

Registered on February 1, 2006, 1158 Posts, 19528 Comments

Comment posted by Ashley Vincent on November 22, 2011 at 10:37 PM

Marvelous capture Ray, couldn't have hoped for better lighting either, love everything about this!!! :^)

Congratulations on this being awarded EP, very well deserved!!!

Registered on March 1, 2011, 154 Posts, 2083 Comments