Distracted Red Tail

Gallery: AvianPosted March 25, 2011115 views7 comments

I was at the local refuge yesterday, in my car on the auto tour route when I slowly came around a bend and spotted this Red-tailed Hawk on the side of the road (only 2 feet off the road, on top of a log just off the ground.) He was very distracted with prey or something that fallen in the grasses or under the log he was on. I got off a few closeups (too close for anything else with my big lens) and he remained as I slowly crept past him. I think he gave me one short look and couldn't care less that I was 5 feet away as I passed. He remained as 3 other cars behind me passed, must have been an exceptional lunch he lost.

Larger image available, thanks for stopping!

canon 7D
canon 600mm f4.L IS USM
F/6.3 1/50 ISO 100
Auto window beanbag rest

Comments

7 comments

Comment posted by Philip Hodgkins on March 25, 2011 at 5:02 PM

A lovely portrait and complementary background. I like the understated border as well. For some reason, it seems just a small bit soft, but it may be just my eyes today.

Registered on July 24, 2006, 2741 Posts, 12349 Comments

Comment posted by Andy Shepherd on March 25, 2011 at 5:12 PM

Always good when you find a confiding subject and even more so when it's such an impressive bird. Your portrait composition has worked well, as has the complimentary BG. Agree with Phil re the slight softness, but no big deal as this is easily sorted.

Nicely done, Craig.

Andy...

Registered on September 24, 2006, 123 Posts, 1254 Comments

Comment posted by Keith A Anderson on March 25, 2011 at 5:45 PM

Nice job in an, at least for me, unusual opportunity for a wild raptor portrait. I'd have been sorely tempted to just stop and force everyone else to pass or wait while I filled my CF card. I do wish it was sharper..

Registered on February 13, 2006, 166 Posts, 1818 Comments

Comment posted by Richard Teller on March 25, 2011 at 7:00 PM

Very good portrait. I like the detail and how sharp the eye is.

Registered on August 23, 2010, 1162 Posts, 6692 Comments

Comment posted by Ken Canning on March 25, 2011 at 8:15 PM

Nice close-up portrait and I like the tilted head. Suggest blurring the background as there are a a lot of geometric lines. Processing artifact running paralel to the back of the birds head?

Registered on February 10, 2004, 88 Posts, 549 Comments

Comment posted by Nate Chappell on March 26, 2011 at 3:52 PM

I think I know this juvi Red-tailed Craig. There's one that doesn't seem to have much fear down there. Very nice portrait, I would have used a higher iso and shutter speed.

Registered on February 1, 2006, 1158 Posts, 19528 Comments

Comment posted by Doug Backlund on March 26, 2011 at 9:50 PM

Raptors eyes up close like this are always great to see. Nice bg too.

Registered on September 29, 2005, 252 Posts, 3380 Comments