Sparrow Hawk & Prey

Gallery: AvianPosted February 6, 2014217 views10 comments

Sparrow hawk (Male)

Whilst working a colony of sand martins from a hide, this Sparrow hawk would come severasl times a day and either pluck a young one at the tunnel entrance or pick dead ones off the floor. It was amazing to wath. He would come along the cliff face(sand quarry) the suddenly turn 90 dggrees and shoot a leg out to grab anything available. The chick in the picture is one he took off the floor. Not too nice to sit and watch from a hide - but nature and all that.
The pale area at the bottom is a puddle of rain water

Nikon D200
Sigma 50-500mm
640 ISO
200th sec @f8
Nearly full frame
ev down 1
PP in paint shop pro- levels
Thanks for comments on last pic. Been absent a while with pc probs.
Cheers

Comments

10 comments

Comment posted by Sharon Hallowell on February 6, 2014 at 4:36 PM

The flying feathers add a lot to this image. Sharp details. Sharon

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

Comment posted by Dennis Plank on February 6, 2014 at 5:41 PM

I love the intense look of the hawk and the flying feathers, John. Very well done.

Registered on January 28, 2008, 1767 Posts, 23192 Comments

Comment posted by Howard Cheek on February 6, 2014 at 7:02 PM

I agree with Dennis, the flying feathers and birds expression's very cool John

Excellent shot

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

Comment posted by Simon Bennett on February 6, 2014 at 8:22 PM

Wonderful natural history and techs.

Registered on February 4, 2007, 350 Posts, 4614 Comments

Comment posted by John Robinson on February 6, 2014 at 10:14 PM

Thanks all. Bit too much for some of the squeamish I think- but thats the way things are in real life.
Cheers
John

Registered on March 2, 2008, 535 Posts, 2453 Comments

Comment posted by Andy Shepherd on February 7, 2014 at 10:05 AM

Can't fault it, John. Perch, Prey and BG all make for a superb shot of this Hawk.

Andy...

Registered on September 24, 2006, 123 Posts, 1254 Comments

Comment posted by Rob Drummond on February 8, 2014 at 1:06 AM

Great capture and story John - I like the floating feathers

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

Comment posted by Ingrid Vekemans on February 8, 2014 at 2:05 PM

Great shot with the feathers of the prey flying through the air. Nature in all it's cruelty and beauty…

Grt, Ingrid.

Registered on August 2, 2010, 138 Posts, 780 Comments

Comment posted by Albert Darmo on February 9, 2014 at 4:44 PM

Hi John

You captured the action and mood of the scene very well

Great detail and colors

Albert Darmo
Canada

Registered on November 25, 2008, 1386 Posts, 11978 Comments

Comment posted by Ákos Lumnitzer on February 12, 2014 at 5:20 PM

Wonderful shot with the plucking of the feathers. Just love the pose and the perch too. Congrats!

Registered on April 24, 2004, 25 Posts, 510 Comments