Front yard visitor

[A.M.D.A.]

I have been "stalking" this red-tailed hawk for days... and just a few hours ago it decided to land on a tree in my front yard!

Attachment 64131

Camera: PENTAX *ist D
Lens: PENTAX SMC PENTAX-A* 300mm F4 lens. (MF-only)
Other equipment used: TAMRON 2X TC
1/500 second at F3.2
ISO 1600
900mm focal length (35mm equivalent)
Multi-segment metering mode

Attachment 64132

Camera: PENTAX *ist D
Lens: PENTAX SMC PENTAX-A* 300mm F4 lens. (MF-only)
Other equipment used: TAMRON 2X TC
1/400 second at F3.2
ISO 1600
900mm focal length (35mm equivalent)
Multi-segment metering mode

Attachment 64133

Camera: PENTAX *ist D
Lens: PENTAX SMC PENTAX-A* 300mm F4 lens. (MF-only)
Other equipment used: TAMRON 2X TC
1/320 second at F3.2
ISO 1600
900mm focal length (35mm equivalent)
Multi-segment metering mode

[Pink Dragonfly]

Wauv, that must have been an exciting experience! You guys really seem to have an amazing front/back yard wildlife I'm jealous!

Very nice images, but they don't look razorsharp on my monitor? Is that to do with the image reduction or something? Sorry for asking!

Mette

[A.M.D.A.]

Thanks for the reply, yes I see they are a bit soft. Could be due partly to resizing, but I think the main reason is that I probably turned the MF-ring 1mm to far/too close. :mad2: I'm currently looking at a DA 55-300mm ED AF lens, just need to save up enough money...

No need to be sorry for asking, I appreciate all feedback!

[Dylan8i]

nice, how were you stalking it for days? just seeing it around your house? the only time i see birds of prey around here are usually when im driving on highways, they use the thermals rising up the hills.

it looks like the second one has a bit of fringing as well.

[Singletracklovr]

Wow! I really like #2
That's a very unique angle.

[A.M.D.A.]

Thanks, Dylan and Bob.

nice, how were you stalking it for days? just seeing it around your house? the only time i see birds of prey around here are usually when im driving on highways, they use the thermals rising up the hills.

it looks like the second one has a bit of fringing as well.

Partly from seeing it around the house. While I am working, I happen to look out the window and notice 1 or 2 or sometimes 3 red-taileds... with a bunch of angry crows trailing them. Then I rush outside and try to get close enough so that the hawk is big enough in the frame to try to MF as accurately as possible. Usually the hawk sees me while I am still a ways away, and shifts position. I now have to shift position also, to get branches out of the way. He flies off to another tree, I hurry after... through frozen snow and thorn-filled dried berry-bushes. Until this time I hadn't succeeded in getting a single shot.

I had actually left my TC in the house, but the bird stayed perched long enough for me to rush inside, retrieve it, attach it, and start to focus before it caught sight of me and flew off out of reach. I think he was eyeing a rat which recently discovered the birdseed... haven't seed the rat for a couple days... :idea:

CA fringing is from the TC, but I needed the reach for better MF.

[paulnj]

persistance pays off!

[AgingEyes]

Wauv, that must have been an exciting experience! You guys really seem to have an amazing front/back yard wildlife I'm jealous!

And if you live in the right area, you could have a bald eagle sitting on your roof here in BC. I have seen that.

Still, I'm envious that Alex can just photo hawks without leaving the house

[A.M.D.A.]

Thanks for the comments, guys!

And if you live in the right area, you could have a bald eagle sitting on your roof here in BC. I have seen that.

Still, I'm envious that Alex can just photo hawks without leaving the house

I've seen eagles sitting on roofs of houses near a local bird/wildlife reserve. Usually it's the juvy eagles, though occasionally an adult too.