After a bit of a dry spell, I finally was able to photograph some birds.

[Maestro]

Actually really just one, a red tailed hawk that finally gave a nice perch and held still for at least 30 seconds before flying off, catching a thermal, and leaving me behind to cherish the memories. :rofl:

Looking across a road and into a pasture.


Takes notice of me here.


Looks to its right.


Looks back to its left.


And takes off....I guess as a photographer of birds I live for these fleeting thirty seconds. BTW, I shot this in full manual. The light was harsh and directly overhead. I thought F8 would close the lens enough, but not quite. The shots came hot really hot; not so hot that they couldn't be adjusted but I need to remember to close that lens even more.

Oh and speaking of fleeting, I found this northern harrier today as well, but this is the only shot she would give me.


Enjoy.

[BarenakedLady]

1. Nice!

Those claws look fierce!

:thumbsup:

[Maestro]

9. Yes, those claws really can clamp down on prey.

They are very strong and very sharp, but I think the killing blow for a red tailed hawk comes from the beak. I'm not sure. You've piqued my curiosity. Thanks for looking. :hi:

[Haole Girl]

2. Excellent!

You've been doing your homework, I see, and read the manual! lol

Good for you... great shots... all of them!! :D

[Maestro]

10. Thanks KC2

I have been trying to do more manual shooting so I can learn which combination of shutter speed and aperture setting works best. I almost blew these shots but I was able to salvage them in Photoshop. Thanks for looking. :)

[zabet]

3. Beautiful pics!!!!

We have a red-shouldered hawk that hangs around
our farm. I am a piss poor pic taker. :cry:

[Maestro]

11. I'm just on the border of the red-shouldered hawk's territory

so I don't see many of them and I have never photographed one. They are very handsome animals. Thanks for looking.

[Inchworm]

4. Always a pleasure

looking at your pictures!

:yourock:

[Maestro]

12. Glad you like them.

I hopefully won't go so far in between bird pics.

[TZ]

5. Great as usual..

I can't decide which I like more--the red tail looking directly at you, or the picture of the harrier that beautifully captures the very distinctive white spot on the rump.

[Maestro]

13. Thanks turtlensue

You are kind. I have not have a whole lot of luck with harrier. Here are a few more fleeting shots from last winter. Harriers must really not like me when they see me with my big lens.



She's really hunting here. You can see her face looking straight down.

[TZ]

14. I love raptors....

I don't know where you are on the migration route but I see from time to time the large "kettles" of migrating hawks riding the thermals at this time of year (well its usually more in October). Now THAT would be an incredible picture...:)

[Maestro]

29. I have been keeping track of the birders down on the

Texas coast who have been reporting thousands upon thousands of different hawks in huge kettles back during October especially. They would report huge numbers of Mississippi kites and Swainson's hawks. I have never seen a swainson's but I have photographed Mississippi kits.

Here is a juvenile mississippi kite


Here is an adult

[lost-in-nj]

6. Great pictures

we have 3 hawks that fly around... only perched once where I could get a good look...
we also have an eagle that lives on the golf course.....
I was lucky enough to see him fly.....


lost

[Maestro]

15. Thanks Lost.

And to have an eagle too nearby. Wow!

[Tuesday Afternoon]

7. These are all great. I really like the one where he is looking right

at you. The harrier in flight is very special. Thanks for sharing.

[Maestro]

16. I'll share any time.

Thanks for looking. :hi:

[Forkboy]

8. You post the most awesome pics!

Do you ever put these all together in one spot? I've seen so many awesome photos from you that you need to have your own webpage for them.

Thanks for posting, as always. :thumbsup:

[Maestro]

17. I have put my photos up on a site.

Just click on the link in my sig. Thanks for looking and the nice comments. :hi:

[ashling]

18. Looks like you've got a

Red Tailed Ham Hawk

:hi:

[Maestro]

19. I wish more were like him/her.

Ham Hawk. That made me snicker. Thanks.

[ashling]

21. I used to livein the country

in central Texas ... these pictures make me homesick. I used to love the scissor tailed flycatchers, roadrunners, doves, the hawks, and especially the kestrals. Also, we had a couple of owls on our place that would fly between the barn and the trees behind the house. Every time the cat wanted to go out at night I would say "there'sa hawk out there lookin' for you." It didn't change her mind, but she didn't get to go out either. LOL

[Skittles]

20. f***ing AWESOME

oh how I enjoy your pics! :thumbsup:

[Maestro]

24. Come down a little bit further south

and you can experience it first hand. :thumbsup: Thanks Skittles!

[Theres-a]

22. Marvelous ,as always.

I haven't been over to the birders group in awhile.Think I'll mosey over,thanks for the reminder.

[Maestro]

25. Thanks there-s a

As usual I enjoyed taking them. I wish I could find some more of the colorful songbirds though. Thanks for looking.

[WinkyDink]

23. LOVE these!

[Maestro]

26. Thanks WinkyDink

I hopefully will be posting more soon. :hi:

[Phentex]

27. Wow! Those are amazing!

Thanks for sharing them.

[Maestro]

28. Well thank you Phentex

Fall and winter are usually good times to photograph the birds. Hopefully I can get out a bit more so I can share a bit more.