REd Tailed Hawk

[tstovall]

Captured with Nikon D1X and 80-400 VR, handheld at fairly close range.

[steve6]

Very nice!

[checklg]

Very good. You've even been able to catch the texture of the bill. More please !

[tstovall]

Thanks Graham, I also liked the texture of the bill. He (she?) seems to have been using it a bit! I got about 34 shots before the bird finally flew away.

[gibsonpd3620]

Very nice shot. Great detail

[eric s]

Very nice shot. How far away was the hawk?

I just wanted to say that I've been wanting that lens since I read about it. Any way you could find it in your heart to give it to me? Please? For a little while? Well, had to ask.

I love how it shows the color above the beak.

You should be able to tell the gender by the size of the bird. Do you have any full body shots? I could probably tell from that, with some clue about the size of what (s)he is sitting on.

Eric

[tstovall]

Hello Eric,

Thanks for the kind words. I will act like I didn't read the part about letting you borrow the lens for a while ;-)

Actually, I tend to leave this lens on the camera for just such opportunities that arise as the Hawk's perching in my back yard. I love the lens.

I started shooting the photos from inside my house (about 40 feet away, walked out on my deck (about 25 feet away) and then keep walking closer and closer until it finally flew away when I was about 10-15 feet from it. Don't know if you can tell anything more about him/her from this shot....

[eric s]

I don't have my Raptors book, so I'll have to go by memory. I also have to guess on the actual size from the picture.... Can I qualify this any more?

Females are larger in the Raptor family (in general) and I fairly sure they are in Red Tails. I would guess this is a female. I'm not as confident as I might be for two reasons. First, the shoulders aren't as broad as I might expect. It's subtle, and it could just be perspective. Second, the breast is fairly large, but that could just be because of the season. I assume it's winter where you are.

This book:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...ce&s=books

Is fairly good. I got it as a present a few years ago. It has a picture of every plumage of every age, gender and variation/permutation for every raptor in North America. It isn't a very good field book because of it's size. But for what it is, it is quite nice.

BTW, this is exactly the type of photography I'd like to do. Wildlife, particularly birds. I'd be interested in your thoughts & experiences with that lens. It seems like it is exactly what I'd want. Well, ok... I'd rather it was AF-S and faster. And while I'm fantasizing, lets make keep it the same size and weight and set the price as the same $1,400USD. Wouldn't want them to loose money on it, now would I?

[tstovall]

Hello Eric,

YOu have a much better understanding of fowl than I do! But I also love taking shots of wild life and natural settings, as well. I really do like the 80-400VR. Except for the 17-35, I probably use this lens the most. I just, yesterday, sold my 80-200 2.8 nikkor and have pre-ordered the 70-200 vr 2.8. That could become my favorite, but the 80-400 is really fun to use. I also enjoy using it for candids of my little girl.

[digcamfan]

Excellent detail

It appears the raptor was photographed in a cold clime.
Is this correct?

In a word...majestic.