Red Tailed Brunch

[Maestro]

I caught this Red Tailed Hawk getting a bit of brunch. It had come down off of a utility pole, went behind a barbed wire fence covered with brush then reappeared. I got off three shots before it was too far away. It had a snake.



In this pic, if you look very closely at the hip of the bird just above its talon, you can see the snake bite the hawk.



The snake apparently kept biting the hawk because after this frame the hawk landed in the middle of a large field, then immediately took off again, but this time it had a field mouse and let the snake go. It flew on to another utility pole to eat. I didn't disturb it any more.



I also redid this one from last week. I didn't like the way it turned out in the face area. Here it is reprocessed and a bit sharper.



And this last one is new. It is from the same series as the above shot, but it has a vertical orientation.


Then just today I found this article via Alter Net. It seems the sadistic Darth Cheney likes to go to take part in canned hunts of tame birds. Pathetic! I have nothing against hunters. In fact some hunters are great conservationists as well, but his sort of hunting disgusts me.

Anyhow, enjoy.

[Forkboy]

1. That's just cool!

Oh, and I checked out your site last time and there's a ton of amazing stuff there.I've sent it to a couple of people already, and kept it bookmarked. :thumbsup:

[Maestro]

4. Thanks Forkboy

And thanks for sending my site to your friends.

[Haole Girl]

2. OMG!

You caught that! Wow! Those are amazing!! :hi: :D

[Maestro]

7. Thanks KC2

The new AF on this 40D did a good job. Thanks again.

[TZ]

3. amazing pics

I have never seen a red-tail try to eat a snake, and I think your pictures illustrate why they prefer mice. Perhaps it was a young hawk that didn't know any better....:)

[Maestro]

8. That would be a good deduction, but

really think it just didn't get it by the head which is what they should do. This one left itself open for attack. Talons vs. Fangs. Fangs won this time. ;)

[CaliforniaPeggy]

5. My dear Maestro!

Wow, how great these are!

The snake was biting the hawk....

That makes me shiver a bit... :scared:

And the one you reprocessed? Fabulous!

These are always a treat for me...

Congrats!

And thank you!

:woohoo:

[Maestro]

10. Thanks Peggy

Don't shiver. It's all part of Nature. This time it looks like the little snake won unless it was gashed too much after being laid down. :hi:

[SPKrazy]

6. i love your pics

awesome!

thanks

:hi:

[Maestro]

12. Thanks Southpawkicker

I appreciate it.

[bigwillq]

9. Just wow.

What great pics! :bounce: :hi:

[Maestro]

11. For the curious, here is a 100% crop of the snake bite.

[Haole Girl]

13. Wow

Thanks!! :)

[Maestro]

16. Any time.

:hi:

[Haole Girl]

17. I wanted to ask you to do that...

..but I didn't want to be bossy!! lol!

[Maestro]

18. Don't worry.

I got the idea to do it from a nature photographer's forum I also frequent. Some of the participants had asked for a tighter crop to see the snake better. :hi:

[puerco-bellies]

14. Great pictures

I really dig hawks and eagles.

[Maestro]

23. Thanks Puerco-bellies

Raptorts have to be one of my favorite subjects.

[Shell Beau]

15. Wow! Those pics are awesome! I have seen a red-tail

with a snake in its talons, but never saw the act! Perfect that you had your camera! I am fascinated by birds of prey! I love your pics!

[Maestro]

24. Birds of Prey are fun to photograph.

They are very handsome. Thanks for the kind comments. :hi:

[GoddessOfGuinness]

19. Fantastic pics

Thanks so much for sharing them!

[Maestro]

25. You know me...any time. I almost love sharing

as much as taking the pics. ;)

[Kat45]

20. Great pictures, as always.

I did know that about Cheney, and I also find that absolutely disgusting.

[Maestro]

26. A fifteen car caravan to go to an elite gun club?

Does he do any work? He disgusts me as well.

[Capn Sunshine]

21. is that a Socal red tailed hawk?

We have them all over around here. Reminds me of a funny story. I was looking at this view lot in Calabasas with a potential partner for a spec house. She was from the east Coast and deathly afraid of snakes. We're walking out there and she says "are there any rattlesnakes out here?" I laugh and say "No, I've never seen one in this part of the canyon". Just then a red tailed hawk swoops out of the sky like ten feet in front of me and snatches up a huge ( 3 1/2 feet easy) rattlesnake and sails off. The lady gives me a dirty look like I was totally bullshitting her about snakes and marches back to the car and refuses to get out until there are sidewalks and paving everywhere.

[Maestro]

27. That is a funny story.

No, this is a good ole Texas Red Tailed. This swooped down basically in front of me as well, about 30 feet in front behind some brush.

[Tuesday Afternoon]

22. I love hawks. Thanks for these shots.

They are amazing:wow:

[Maestro]

28. You are very kind.

Thanks for looking.