Now it's not very often that I can get this close to any raptor. Actually this is my closest approach to any Accipiter to date. Good thing because I think they are the prettiest hawk species we've got going on here.

Gotta hand it to Mrs. Loupey - she spotted it first. It took about 30 minutes before I could get this close with a camera. Probably aided by the fact that it was only 11°F in the morning and I think he was trying to warm up before the morning hunt.

Both shots are uncropped. The first with the 300mm + 2x, the second with just the 300mm.

Beautiful specimen`s Loupey, and well Captured :) For the past month i think i have been living in the land of Crows lol

Pretty hawks indeed!

Talking about crows, they're all over the place all year long. As common as they are, I don't see many photos of them. Hey, if you want to shoot common birds, they should be one of the fine candidates :)

Nice work Loupey. Well worth the effort!

Thanks for looking, guys!

Speaking for crows, I saw an incident earlier this week: You know how crows often follow raptors around harrassing them? You know how you may often think ill-will against them? Well I was watching a lone harrier hunting in a small field and there was this one crow about 100 yards away "crowing" warnings from a tree. The harrier finally got fed up and flew in the crow's direction and suddenly dive bombed it. I didn't expect it so I didn't get very good shots. It lasted about 2 seconds and drove the crow to the ground and then it flew away. Hooray!

Loupey, great images :thumbsup: . Not a bird we see in our part of the Western Prairies.

AgingEyes, I don't know if you have any crows in your part of the world, but during our winter, that is about all we have in the city, together with their relatives, the magpies. They are a very difficult bird to get close to, even with a 100-400 zoom. They travel in families or pairs and while one, or more is/are feeding one acts as a lookout - magpies are even better at this because in winter they travel in groups of 4 to 8 and always post a lookout atop a high tree or on the peak of a house roof. At the first sign of any intruder, human or otherwise, the lookout lets out a very loud alert and the others run for cover, or at least fly for cover, and the flock moves on to where there are no intruders :mad2: . You almost have to be in position and know where they are going to be before they get there.

I have spent a lot of time observing the magpies that frequent our courtyard :idea: and I am working on a strategy to see if I can't get some pictures this winter :mad2: . If and when I am successful, I shall post some examples. I am debating :idea: whether to bait them with food in a flat feeder to see if that will work, but not there yet.

Anyway, just so you know, getting pictures of these birds is a challenge and I am working on it. Any thoughts, ideas, experience that anyone would care to share would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers,

WesternGuy

Love both shots....the second one shows his head turned all the way backwards..doesn't it....love to see their range of motion with their heads....

AgingEyes, I don't know if you have any crows in your part of the world, but during our winter, that is about all we have in the city, together with their relatives, the magpies. They are a very difficult bird to get close to, even with a 100-400 zoom...[snip]



In my part of the world, crows are everywhere. I can shoot them just sitting inside the house if I want to. They've been digging up lawns all over trying to get to the grubs and whatever, causing a lot of problems to many here :mad2: . So, as you can imagine, getting close to them is not a problem here but keeping them away is :D The thing is: how to take good looking photos of them? The crows are not pretty looking to begin with :)

fantastic! i love the second one.

WesternGuy - thanks for the comments and sharing your crow/magpie dilemma. Crows are very clever indeed. Never thought about photographing them though - not because they are crows, but because they are solid black. Like shooting sillouettes all the time :p But you have me thinking!

BFiredUp - thanks for the looking.

Fox - thanks for the comment and welcome to PR!



Last parting shot. He tried to leave me a present:p I knew he was ready to fly away.

That second one is great, but the last is just too funny.

That first shot is awesome, with that dramatic red eye. Extremely nice shot.

Thanks paulnj and mn shutterbug! I'll have to redo the PP on them to see if either are print-worthy. 'Cause I don't think I'll have another opportunity to do a reshoot any time soon :)

The composition of the pictures are not very good.
The sense of space can be stronger.

Hi, uilq - thanks for the feedback. Can you be more specific? I welcome any advice (I sure give plenty of it :p ).

We're a pretty relaxed bunch here. Many images are posted for "fun" and to share an experience.

Any feedback can be useful for others as well.