Hawk ??
May 9, 2014 23:15:08 #
So, we've seen two of these guys flying around the flood plain for a while, today I was walking on the plain and see one on the ground at 50 yards away. It flies directly overhead carrying a small snake and I see him land on this nest.
I'm planning on carefully getting some more shots, I think I saw movement in the nest, and am betting a couple of chicks are growing up in my yard.
Anyone have any idea on what type of hawk this might be?
I'm planning on carefully getting some more shots, I think I saw movement in the nest, and am betting a couple of chicks are growing up in my yard.
Anyone have any idea on what type of hawk this might be?
May 10, 2014 07:52:25 #
Looks like a Cooper's Hawk. I'm not a birder, but tail looks like Cooper.
May 10, 2014 10:57:30 #
thank you Smushin. It would not surprise me at all if you are correct. Here is a front view from this morning. Per the bird book I was looking at, Juveniles are brown like this and the older birds become grey (if I read that right), so these are young parents. I see one chick for sure (but I think there are two in there).
Edit: looking at it, it looks like the auto-focus got the large branch in back. Manual focus might have been better, also had enough light should have tried larger DOF (and that might have been better setting for lens too, it was wide open so that I could pump up the speed).
Edit: looking at it, it looks like the auto-focus got the large branch in back. Manual focus might have been better, also had enough light should have tried larger DOF (and that might have been better setting for lens too, it was wide open so that I could pump up the speed).
May 10, 2014 11:22:43 #
and here is a painful missed opportunity. If only I grabbed the tripod and tilted it so that the focus point was on the bird. She must be looking for more nesting material, or she might be hungry. She swooped me and then watched me from the tree above for a couple of minutes, and then went about her business.
May 10, 2014 11:37:39 #
"Hey mamma, what is that ugly thing?"
If not a coopers hawk, perhaps red shouldered hawk...
If not a coopers hawk, perhaps red shouldered hawk...
May 10, 2014 12:47:47 #
pfrancke wrote:
So, we've seen two of these guys flying around the flood plain for a while, today I was walking on the plain and see one on the ground at 50 yards away. It flies directly overhead carrying a small snake and I see him land on this nest.
I'm planning on carefully getting some more shots, I think I saw movement in the nest, and am betting a couple of chicks are growing up in my yard.
Anyone have any idea on what type of hawk this might be?
I'm planning on carefully getting some more shots, I think I saw movement in the nest, and am betting a couple of chicks are growing up in my yard.
Anyone have any idea on what type of hawk this might be?
How about a Red-shouldered Hawk.
:-)
May 10, 2014 13:29:37 #
A. J. wrote:
How about a Red-shouldered Hawk.
:-)
:-)
has my vote too. saw pic in Stoke's field guide to birds and see same yellow on top of beak. and breast looks same, and now having seen the wings...
May 10, 2014 13:46:02 #
pfrancke wrote:
Edit: looking at it, it looks like the auto-focus got the large branch in back. Manual focus might have been better, also had enough light should have tried larger DOF (and that might have been better setting for lens too, it was wide open so that I could pump up the speed).
Edit: looking at it, it looks like the auto-focus got the large branch in back. Manual focus might have been better, also had enough light should have tried larger DOF (and that might have been better setting for lens too, it was wide open so that I could pump up the speed).
I have checked a couple of these shots to ascertain the EXIF data. Other than date and time there is no information???
What was the camera set on (aperture, shutter speed & ISO).
What focusing point were you using.
May 10, 2014 14:48:30 #
Hi Jolly. In all the images, I used 400mm lens with 1.4 extender. Image in question (2nd one) was 1DS Mark II f/9.0, 1/1250, ISO 400 on tripod. I had the center focus spot lit up red and it was right on the top of the nest. I don't know why the exif data didn't keep (I did do a substantial photshop crop and some noise reduction etc).
May 10, 2014 15:31:12 #
May 10, 2014 16:10:24 #
pfrancke wrote:
better focus (I think). Mom and Dad (happy Mums day Mom!).
Yes, the focus on this one is much better.
I'm curious what happened with the others considering your settings. My only thought is that being in a shaded area of the tree perhaps the lens was having difficulty to lock on.
May 10, 2014 16:44:15 #
hi Jolly, the last one I used canon 6d body. Using the 6d with the extender my auto focus doesn't work, so I used a manual focus verified with live view. I bet that you are right, the earlier autofocus shots got suckered in by the light area and I ended up with a "back" focus. The use of the 1.4 extender might have been something that confused the camera in that it "kind of" worked...
May 10, 2014 17:02:50 #
pfrancke wrote:
hi Jolly, the last one I used canon 6d body. Using the 6d with the extender my auto focus doesn't work, so I used a manual focus verified with live view. I bet that you are right, the earlier autofocus shots got suckered in by the light area and I ended up with a "back" focus. The use of the 1.4 extender might have been something that confused the camera in that it "kind of" worked...
Good to hear you have found a 'work around'. Looks as though you will be having some excellent opportunities over the coming weeks to catalogue the growth of the chicks. Be sure to post some.
May 11, 2014 00:49:42 #
May 11, 2014 11:39:41 #
Thank you Sue - and thank you Jolly, I will use this thread to do as you say. It will be a big learning curve for me, so if anyone ever has a suggestion that will help me do better, please let me know.
This morning the chicks get to eat another snake. I left them to their breakfast shortly after this shot.
The dark spot on the birds throat might be dirt on the sensor (it appears in all of today's work). I just cleaned the lens and will see if it went away, if not, I'll try to blow it off with a blower.
Edit.. oh, was f/29 1/1600, ISO 3200 (so I could run the other numbers up) using 6D with manual focus on the twigs at top front of nest, 400m with 1.4 extender. And the snake got thrown into the nest, looks like the chicks can chop it up by themselves...
This morning the chicks get to eat another snake. I left them to their breakfast shortly after this shot.
The dark spot on the birds throat might be dirt on the sensor (it appears in all of today's work). I just cleaned the lens and will see if it went away, if not, I'll try to blow it off with a blower.
Edit.. oh, was f/29 1/1600, ISO 3200 (so I could run the other numbers up) using 6D with manual focus on the twigs at top front of nest, 400m with 1.4 extender. And the snake got thrown into the nest, looks like the chicks can chop it up by themselves...
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