Steve'sDigicams

RedStickMan · Jul 13, 2008, 12:39 PM

Yesterday afternoon I was cooling off in the pool (it was 97 degrees!) and I noticed a large bird fly over and land on a phone pole. I saw it was a hawk and jumped out of the pool and grabbed my camera. As I was taking pictures, this mockingbird was giving the poor hawk all kinds of hell, swooping and pecking at him.
The hawk barely even seemed to notice or care. After a while the hawk had enough and flew off.
It wasn't until I got the pictures dumped to the computer that I noticed that the hawk had something hanging from his talons and realized it was a dead squirrel!
I found this one shot that I though captured it all pretty well.

It's not technically a very good photograph but with a bit of PP I managed to get it looking alright. Had to clone out some telephone wires (I hate wires!) and such as well.

K100D Super and Tamron 70-300 Di LD

ennacac · Jul 13, 2008, 12:56 PM

That is a great action shot of the Mockingbird pecking the Hawk.

Tom

NonEntity1 · Jul 13, 2008, 1:22 PM

It may not be technically good but it is a great capture. I have frequently seen smaller birds harassing larger ones, but never caught it like this.

Tim

danielchtong · Jul 13, 2008, 3:12 PM

RedStickMan wrote:

Quote:

It's not technically a very good photograph but with a bit of PP I managed to get it looking alright. Had to clone out some telephone wires (I hate wires!) and such as well.

K100D Super and Tamron 70-300 Di LD

Congrat for the timely shot. I can never make it. I can only lust a lens like A600mm in this situation (Kjell has one and he left it at home to go to Africa)

Daniel

mtngal · Jul 13, 2008, 6:30 PM

Wonderful shot! Mockingbirds seem to be fearless and willing to peck anything, including cats. I watch a blue jay (think it was a Stellars) harrass a much larger raven trying to get it to move, but the raven just ignored it. It did finally leave, but not for about 5-10 minutes. Your picture is fascinating.

Rodney9 · Jul 14, 2008, 5:35 AM

Well taken capture .

RedStickMan · Jul 14, 2008, 11:03 PM

Thanks for the nice comments, everyone.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again.
Sometimes it's more important to be lucky than to be good. :G

nhmom · Jul 15, 2008, 7:59 PM

That's one wild and crazy mockingbird. I wonder how long he'll survive if he keeps attacking bigger birds! :-)

Patty

RedStickMan · Jul 15, 2008, 8:05 PM

I think this is the same mockingbird that harasses my cat and, for some reason, has been up at odd hours of the night singing like crazy.
I actually had to go out last night and shake the tree he was in to get him to fly away and shut up... at 1:30 in the morning!

Kind of makes me wish that hawk had taken a swipe at him. :ak47:

Jul 13, 2008, 12:39 PM	#1
RedStickMan Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 447	Yesterday afternoon I was cooling off in the pool (it was 97 degrees!) and I noticed a large bird fly over and land on a phone pole. I saw it was a hawk and jumped out of the pool and grabbed my camera. As I was taking pictures, this mockingbird was giving the poor hawk all kinds of hell, swooping and pecking at him. The hawk barely even seemed to notice or care. After a while the hawk had enough and flew off. It wasn't until I got the pictures dumped to the computer that I noticed that the hawk had something hanging from his talons and realized it was a dead squirrel! I found this one shot that I though captured it all pretty well. It's not technically a very good photograph but with a bit of PP I managed to get it looking alright. Had to clone out some telephone wires (I hate wires!) and such as well. K100D Super and Tamron 70-300 Di LD Attached Images

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Jul 13, 2008, 12:56 PM	#2
ennacac Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 4,198	That is a great action shot of the Mockingbird pecking the Hawk. Tom

Jul 13, 2008, 1:22 PM	#3
NonEntity1 Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Lake Placid Florida USA Posts: 2,689	It may not be technically good but it is a great capture. I have frequently seen smaller birds harassing larger ones, but never caught it like this. Tim

Jul 13, 2008, 6:30 PM	#5
mtngal Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Frazier Park, CA Posts: 16,177	Wonderful shot! Mockingbirds seem to be fearless and willing to peck anything, including cats. I watch a blue jay (think it was a Stellars) harrass a much larger raven trying to get it to move, but the raven just ignored it. It did finally leave, but not for about 5-10 minutes. Your picture is fascinating.

Jul 14, 2008, 5:35 AM	#6
Rodney9 Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Yeronga, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia Posts: 3,518	Well taken capture .

Jul 14, 2008, 11:03 PM	#7
RedStickMan Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 447	Thanks for the nice comments, everyone. I've said it before, and I'll say it again. Sometimes it's more important to be lucky than to be good. :G

Jul 15, 2008, 7:59 PM	#8
nhmom Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Southern New Hampshire Posts: 5,202	That's one wild and crazy mockingbird. I wonder how long he'll survive if he keeps attacking bigger birds! :-) Patty

Jul 15, 2008, 8:05 PM	#9
RedStickMan Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 447	I think this is the same mockingbird that harasses my cat and, for some reason, has been up at odd hours of the night singing like crazy. I actually had to go out last night and shake the tree he was in to get him to fly away and shut up... at 1:30 in the morning! Kind of makes me wish that hawk had taken a swipe at him. :ak47: