Aerial Combat

Gallery: AvianPosted October 19, 2010411 views16 comments

A juvenile Pale Southern chanting Goshawk (Melierax canorus) attacks a Yellow-billed Kite (Milvus aegyptius)) from behind. The Goshawk did not do this without a reason though; the Kite kept passing overhead the perched goshawk whilst calling loudly in an attempt to chase it off. After one such pass the irritated juvenile set off in pursuit, attacked from behind and the two locked talons, but only for a split second.
This is one of a sequence, which I posted in the Latest work gallery on my website.

Camera Model Canon EOS-1D Mark IV
Shutter Speed 1/1000 Sec.
Aperture Value f/11.0
Metering Mode Evaluative Metering
Exposure Compensation +1/3
ISO Speed 1600
Lens EF500mm f/4L IS USM
Focal Length 500.0mm
Drive Mode High-speed continuous shooting
HH, crop is 65% of original

Comments

16 comments

Comment posted by Keith Bauer on October 19, 2010 at 1:53 PM

Perfect timing on the locking talons. Great sharpness. If the head of the Kite was turned this would have been even better. Nothing you could control. Wonderful capture. Thanks for sharing this.

Registered on November 20, 2003, 458 Posts, 4836 Comments

Comment posted by Buck Ward on October 19, 2010 at 4:08 PM

I really enjoyed seeing the sequence on your website. Terrific!

Registered on December 8, 2003, 96 Posts, 1917 Comments

Comment posted by Eric Diller on October 19, 2010 at 4:51 PM

I agree with Keith on the position of the Kite....but what an awesome action shot!

Registered on October 2, 2009, 69 Posts, 434 Comments

Comment posted by Simon Bennett on October 19, 2010 at 4:56 PM

Super action Vincent.

Registered on February 4, 2007, 350 Posts, 4614 Comments

Comment posted by Robert Bunch on October 19, 2010 at 5:26 PM

Excellent capture of peak action. I would have cropped it a little bit tighter.

Registered on May 18, 2004, 124 Posts, 2503 Comments

Comment posted by Ron Dudley on October 19, 2010 at 5:42 PM

This kind of great action is always fun to see Vincent. The rest of the series on your site made it even more interesting. Great timing on this one.

Registered on March 30, 2007, 437 Posts, 10915 Comments

Comment posted by Angela McCain on October 19, 2010 at 9:37 PM

Holy smoke! Incredible image.

Registered on April 19, 2009, 367 Posts, 3589 Comments

Comment posted by Matt Shellenberg on October 19, 2010 at 11:14 PM

Very cool action shot, Vincent.

Registered on February 6, 2008, 168 Posts, 3118 Comments

Comment posted by Chris Ross on October 20, 2010 at 6:58 AM

Great interaction captured Vincent, timing is great all you could ask for is a better head position on the kite.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 403 Posts, 2729 Comments

Comment posted by Luke Ormand on October 20, 2010 at 9:12 AM

Incredible interaction - that juvie has some set of juevos. I saw the whole series and I think this is the best based on the eye contact.... great job of capturing this one-time event.

Registered on February 4, 2009, 1093 Posts, 7035 Comments

Comment posted by Jagdeep Rajput on October 20, 2010 at 9:24 AM

Terrific series n great interaction captured !
I do wish for bluer sky.
Jagdeep Rajput

Registered on April 29, 2008, 686 Posts, 2857 Comments

Comment posted by Philip Haffley on October 20, 2010 at 1:48 PM

Great action and great preparation on your part. You obviously anticipated the potential action and captured a wonderful sequence.

Registered on August 10, 2008, 265 Posts, 317 Comments

Comment posted by Dennis Plank on October 20, 2010 at 10:04 PM

Great action, Vincent.

Registered on January 28, 2008, 1767 Posts, 23192 Comments

Comment posted by KC Choo on October 20, 2010 at 10:19 PM

Well done! My preference would have been for a tighter crop, too.

Registered on November 15, 2004, 519 Posts, 8278 Comments

Comment posted by Jim Hackley on October 21, 2010 at 3:33 PM

Wonderful sequence of shots and story. I like the color contrast between the two hawks, this difference really makes this image, great job and timing to get these, way to go.

Registered on September 17, 2009, 302 Posts, 5535 Comments

Comment posted by Howard Cheek on October 25, 2010 at 10:17 PM

Love this Vincent, visited the series of shots on your latest.
Excellent work

Registered on July 24, 2008, 1201 Posts, 10758 Comments