Tech: D2X c/w 500/4.5 - 500/f5.6 - ISO 320 - RAW AF-C – hand held
Location: Co Durham, UK - Nov 2006
I’ve been very quiet for most of 2006 due to issues at work & several (long neglected) jobs to do around the home/garden. However, I hope to be more active on the site for the rest of the year & beyond.
This 1st/winter female Sparrowhawk was captured today while out working & I was very pleased to have my camera with me. It had just downed an unfortunate Woodpigeon alongside a quiet country track. I took a few images including this particular post & then tried to manoeuvre the car into a better position to avoid the foreground vegetation.
At this point raptor flew off into a nearby wood, so I backed the car about 50 yds or so. It came back within a few minutes & initially tried to fly off with its victim. However, a female Sparrowhawk can carry about its own weight (290 g) & only with some difficulty, so a Woodie (500 g) has to be eaten where it falls. However, it did succeed in dragging its afternoon meal into a much more favourable (photographically) position.
As you can probably see the pigeon is still very much alive & remained so for at least 15 minutes as it was steadily consumed by the hawk. Sparrowhawks are often incapable of killing larger prey & it is the act of feeding that actually kills. The poor Woodie struggle forlornly several times & it was a little difficult to watch/photograph the drama being played out before me. I eventually ran out of memory anyway, as I only had the one card with me.
I welcome any comments on this full-frame post & would be certainly be interested in opinions on whether more graphic images should be posted – blood & gore/struggling victim.
My usual post processing actions were undertaken.
PS: Notes above include data obtained from ‘The Sparrowhawk’ by Ian Newton.
Posted by Helge Sorensen on November 20, 2006 at 5:36 PM
Hi Wayne, a super interesting shot. I have always wanted to get something similar. Everything seems to be spot on. I for one would would like the more graphis pictures. No cropping needed here.
Good to see you posting again Wayne and an excellent behavioural image to come back with.
No nits from me,especially considering that in situations such as this you have to make the best of what you're given.Which I feel you have done with a very sharp,well exposed image full of interest.
Enjoyed your narrative too.
Incidently,I thought your competition entry (grouse on derelict car) looked superb at this years Birdfair.Congratulations on a stunning image.
PS. I don't have a problem with gory images being posted.It's all part of the natural world and an important aspect of wildlife photography.
With that in mind,I shall just be sure to finish my dinner before viewing any of your future postings
Posted by Graeme Lee on November 20, 2006 at 7:05 PM
Love it. Shows the otherside of nature, cruel but survival's necessary! Crop looks spot on as does exposure and contrast. Crackin'!!
Graeme
Posted by Pete Etheridge on November 21, 2006 at 2:55 AM
I agree Wayne - a brilliant post to come back with! No problems for me re. gore - that's life and as nature photographers it's something we all see.
Posted by John Chapman on November 21, 2006 at 6:23 AM
Hi Wayne
excellent image and I agree with all the other comments which have bee made.
Posted by Rob Ashton on November 21, 2006 at 7:45 AM
Nature is full of unpleasant sights. But that is nature. I have no problems with scenes like this as it is natural. I see that a good few people wrote into the BBC after the program showing the elephant kill by the pride of lion. They were distressed at such a scene and wondered whether the crew could have intervened to stop the ordeal. I disagree with this entirely. We should not interfere in situations like that. The assisting of the baby penguin in the same program was partly justified although I don't know about that incident either.? Any comments would be appreciated.
Discussion
8 repliesLocation: Co Durham, UK - Nov 2006
I’ve been very quiet for most of 2006 due to issues at work & several (long neglected) jobs to do around the home/garden. However, I hope to be more active on the site for the rest of the year & beyond.
This 1st/winter female Sparrowhawk was captured today while out working & I was very pleased to have my camera with me. It had just downed an unfortunate Woodpigeon alongside a quiet country track. I took a few images including this particular post & then tried to manoeuvre the car into a better position to avoid the foreground vegetation.
At this point raptor flew off into a nearby wood, so I backed the car about 50 yds or so. It came back within a few minutes & initially tried to fly off with its victim. However, a female Sparrowhawk can carry about its own weight (290 g) & only with some difficulty, so a Woodie (500 g) has to be eaten where it falls. However, it did succeed in dragging its afternoon meal into a much more favourable (photographically) position.
As you can probably see the pigeon is still very much alive & remained so for at least 15 minutes as it was steadily consumed by the hawk. Sparrowhawks are often incapable of killing larger prey & it is the act of feeding that actually kills. The poor Woodie struggle forlornly several times & it was a little difficult to watch/photograph the drama being played out before me. I eventually ran out of memory anyway, as I only had the one card with me.
I welcome any comments on this full-frame post & would be certainly be interested in opinions on whether more graphic images should be posted – blood & gore/struggling victim.
My usual post processing actions were undertaken.
PS: Notes above include data obtained from ‘The Sparrowhawk’ by Ian Newton.
No nits from me,especially considering that in situations such as this you have to make the best of what you're given.Which I feel you have done with a very sharp,well exposed image full of interest.
Enjoyed your narrative too.
Incidently,I thought your competition entry (grouse on derelict car) looked superb at this years Birdfair.Congratulations on a stunning image.
PS. I don't have a problem with gory images being posted.It's all part of the natural world and an important aspect of wildlife photography.
With that in mind,I shall just be sure to finish my dinner before viewing any of your future postings
Graeme
excellent image and I agree with all the other comments which have bee made.
Rob
PS. Very good image of this behavior.
Great image.
I like it just as is.
Cheers
Very nice capture, i agree with above comments on the gore, that is nature for you.
Cheers
Brian