Red-Shouldered + Lizard

Gallery: AvianPosted April 17, 2013696 views20 comments

This young red-shouldered hawk was funny to watch, as he caught and struggled with the snake (Corrected to LEGLESS LIZARD thanks to Joel below). He finally got a good grip on it and bit the head off, but not before dropping it and retrieving it several times.

Corkscrew Swamp Audubon Sanctuary
Ft. Myers, Fl
April, 2012

D800
500mm
Subject dist: 20m
1/1250 sec, f/8
Mode: Av
Metering: Spot
Exp comp: +1
ISO: 500
White balance: Auto
Flash: Off
Hand-held

Comments

20 comments

Comment posted by Mike Ramy on April 17, 2013 at 10:03 AM

Great find in the pine Sandy,

Registered on June 16, 2012, 567 Posts, 2809 Comments

Comment posted by Martin Dunn on April 17, 2013 at 10:28 AM

Great capture Sandy.
The background is a bit cluttered but the bird is nice and sharp and I love the expression on his face.

Registered on February 20, 2013, 198 Posts, 1011 Comments

Comment posted by Joel Thomas on April 17, 2013 at 12:34 PM

That is a beautiful image! I love the eye contact and the framing of the hawk. I am just getting into avian photography and struggling with learning all the different types of birds, but I sure know my reptiles and what the hawk has is a legless lizard (now headless too) that information does not detract at all from your image....just the herpetological nerd in me

Registered on April 2, 2013, 17 Posts, 19 Comments

Comment posted by SandyRichardsBrown on April 17, 2013 at 1:19 PM

Joel - thanks for the knowledge! That's one of things so great about this site - with the vast variety of interests, professions, equipment, and countries, there is SOMEone who knows everything!
Corrected..
Sandy

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

Comment posted by Joel Thomas on April 17, 2013 at 1:59 PM

I did not expect for you to change the title as most anyone will still be thinking "snake" maybe now it adds a little more mystery as people wonder what kind of lizard that could be LOL.... You are not kidding about the amount of knowledge here, I am floored and humbled every time I visit.

Registered on April 2, 2013, 17 Posts, 19 Comments

Comment posted by SandyRichardsBrown on April 17, 2013 at 2:56 PM

Joel, I didn't think twice about changing the title - accurate ID's are important, so we all learn.
Thanks again!
Sandy

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

Comment posted by Eirini Pajak on April 17, 2013 at 5:31 PM

What a cool find & shot! How amazing to be able to identify the reptile with not a whole lot to go on:) I have only read about legless lizards...never actually seen one!

Registered on December 13, 2011, 216 Posts, 1671 Comments

Comment posted by Paul Marshman on April 17, 2013 at 5:46 PM

Great capture, despite the vegetation behind the tail. That look says, "It's mine and you're not getting any!"

Registered on February 20, 2013, 6 Posts, 15 Comments

Comment posted by Beth Huebner on April 17, 2013 at 7:25 PM

Wow!! I love this shot with the frontal view of the bird, the position of the bird in the image, the expression on its face. It must have been great fun to watch his antics with the lizard. Its amazing what presents itself to us when we are simply in the right place at the right time and the ability to capitalize on it.

Registered on January 28, 2013, 19 Posts, 56 Comments

Comment posted by Charlie VanTassel on April 17, 2013 at 8:48 PM

Mmmmmm... Spaghetti for dinner.

Registered on October 18, 2006, 644 Posts, 4801 Comments

Comment posted by Richard Ditch on April 17, 2013 at 9:08 PM

Terrific! The lizard adds so much to this.

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

Comment posted by Ken Archer on April 18, 2013 at 4:25 AM

Sounds like a wonderful experience for you and a great learning experience for the young hawk. He looks very proud to have control of his meal at last.

Sweet Photo Sandy!!!

Ken Archer

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

Comment posted by Patrick O'Healy on April 18, 2013 at 8:43 PM

Great catch. For a moment I thought you caught him flossing.

Registered on March 13, 2011, 326 Posts, 1679 Comments

Comment posted by Nate Chappell on April 19, 2013 at 9:37 PM

Very cool Sandy, great eye contact and the prey adds a lot of course

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

Comment posted by Paul Breitkreuz on April 24, 2013 at 10:22 AM

Excellent detail in the larger version here, Sandy. Congratulations on the EP / WP in this category too.

Registered on February 25, 2006, 525 Posts, 8448 Comments

Comment posted by Ray Whitt on April 24, 2013 at 10:24 AM

Outstanding Sandy! Congratulation.

Ray

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

Comment posted by Scott Fricke on April 24, 2013 at 2:48 PM

Wonderful image Sandy, congratulations on the EP

Registered on January 19, 2007, 133 Posts, 1448 Comments

Comment posted by Jim DeWitt on April 24, 2013 at 4:31 PM

Terrific, Sandy. Congratulations on the WP.

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

Comment posted by Kirk Greene on April 24, 2013 at 8:38 PM

Good stuff. I would have thought snake also. Corkscrew is an amazing place to photograph on an overcast day! Congratulations on the EP!!

Registered on May 12, 2004, 191 Posts, 1578 Comments

Comment posted by Catherine Reilly on May 9, 2013 at 4:48 PM

What a cool experience to have the opportunity to watch and photograph such a scene. This a great shot!

Right about NPN being such a wonderful source of knowledge. I didn't know about legless lizards. Happily, I confess, I don't live in a reptile zone!

Many congrats on yet another Pick!

Registered on August 16, 2006, 603 Posts, 9192 Comments