This shot is pushing the envelope in all kinds of ways but I love these moments between birds and thought it worth posting. Wish I'd been closer...had a longer lens...better at post-processing...etc. Maybe it will give someone encouragement to go for something that looks impossible.
There is a field in town, next to a Planet Fitness, and surrounded by commercial and residential developments, that is the territory of a pair of kestrels that hunt over the field. No luck with them them but off in the distance this Red-tailed Hawk flew by, pursued by several other birds.
I got off a sequence of shots, this being the one I thought best summed up the action. Don't think the blackbird actually landed on the hawk but he came very close.
Back at the computer opened in Photoshop, used Topaz Sharpen AI, made that huge crop, and ended up with this.
RTHA_RWBB_11Jun2022 by
Marshall Smith, on Flickr
Here is a screenshot of the original image. Didn't think I had a prayer, lol!
Screen Shot 2022-06-12 at 8.11.01 AM by
Marshall Smith, on Flickr
Marshall
Very well done! Right place at the right time. I have seen the smaller birds harassing the larger ones. Fun to watch. Thanks for posting.
Smaller birds harassing hawks is discussed in the children's book "Rufous Redtail," one of my favorite books when I was a boy (still have it and read it again recently after many years). According to Rufous' accounting it's not fun for the hawks! Rufous developed the technique (as the book tells it) of turning a somersault in the air and grabbing the smaller bird with his talons. Solved the problem for him and I have actually seen a hawk do that in flight so I guess the author based that on reality. Thanks for posting that interesting photo (looks like a young hawk).
Good work. It's not all about being technically perfect.
Excellent action catch, Marshall!
Wanderer2 wrote:
Smaller birds harassing hawks is discussed in the children's book "Rufous Redtail," one of my favorite books when I was a boy (still have it and read it again recently after many years).
Thanks for that book recommendation, Wanderer2.
I went to Abe.com to see if I could get a copy for my granddaughter and found out that you have a real collectible! Four copies ranged from $160 to $1500. Hang onto that one!
Marshall
bluezzzzz wrote:
Thanks for that book recommendation, Wanderer2.
I went to Abe.com to see if I could get a copy for my granddaughter and found out that you have a real collectible! Four copies ranged from $160 to $1500. Hang onto that one!
Marshall
WOW!! I had not idea Rufous Redtail was a collectibe. It was given to me when I was 11 years old by a great aunt and her son, my second cousin. I plan to read it to my two grand daughters (5 and 3) when they are a little older.
Thanks very much for the info, although my copy is quite beat up as an 11 year old would do and is inscribed by the two people who gave it to me. But I would never want to sell it anyway since we consider it a family heirloom to be passed down to succeeding generations.
Mike
I am impressed with Topaz which can make marginal captures acceptable as you were able to produce here!
Great shot, nicely processed
joecichjr
Loc: Chicago S. Suburbs, Illinois, USA
bluezzzzz wrote:
This shot is pushing the envelope in all kinds of ways but I love these moments between birds and thought it worth posting. Wish I'd been closer...had a longer lens...better at post-processing...etc. Maybe it will give someone encouragement to go for something that looks impossible.
There is a field in town, next to a Planet Fitness, and surrounded by commercial and residential developments, that is the territory of a pair of kestrels that hunt over the field. No luck with them them but off in the distance this Red-tailed Hawk flew by, pursued by several other birds.
I got off a sequence of shots, this being the one I thought best summed up the action. Don't think the blackbird actually landed on the hawk but he came very close.
Back at the computer opened in Photoshop, used Topaz Sharpen AI, made that huge crop, and ended up with this.
RTHA_RWBB_11Jun2022 by
Marshall Smith, on Flickr
Here is a screenshot of the original image. Didn't think I had a prayer, lol!
Screen Shot 2022-06-12 at 8.11.01 AM by
Marshall Smith, on Flickr
Marshall
This shot is pushing the envelope in all kinds of ... (
show quote)
Excellent shot of the protective instinct
🏅🌀🏅🌀🏅
bluezzzzz wrote:
This shot is pushing the envelope in all kinds of ways but I love these moments between birds and thought it worth posting. Wish I'd been closer...had a longer lens...better at post-processing...etc. Maybe it will give someone encouragement to go for something that looks impossible.
There is a field in town, next to a Planet Fitness, and surrounded by commercial and residential developments, that is the territory of a pair of kestrels that hunt over the field. No luck with them them but off in the distance this Red-tailed Hawk flew by, pursued by several other birds.
I got off a sequence of shots, this being the one I thought best summed up the action. Don't think the blackbird actually landed on the hawk but he came very close.
Back at the computer opened in Photoshop, used Topaz Sharpen AI, made that huge crop, and ended up with this.
RTHA_RWBB_11Jun2022 by
Marshall Smith, on Flickr
Here is a screenshot of the original image. Didn't think I had a prayer, lol!
Screen Shot 2022-06-12 at 8.11.01 AM by
Marshall Smith, on Flickr
Marshall
This shot is pushing the envelope in all kinds of ... (
show quote)
They are really hawkish when it comes to their nest protection. Good shot, Marshall!
Very nice catch...sometimes, better to be lucky, than good!
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