Red-Tail with Snake

Gallery: AvianPosted October 5, 2011762 views22 comments

I took this picture a couple on Springs ago in JPEG fine and RAW, thinking one day I would want to try RAW processing. Been working with Lightroom for almost a year now, decided to give it a try. Photo taken at Croton Point NY. Red-tail Hawk would perch in a try beside a wide open field looking for his next meal. Watched several times as he flew down and captured small snakes and usually flew back to the same perch. Positioned myself to catch him flying back and after quite a few attempts captured this image. Wild bird, not baited.
Nikon D300 with 300mm f2.8 and 1.7 tc, ISO 500, F 5.6, Shutter 1/2000. Thanks, critique welcomed. Ray

Comments

22 comments

Comment posted by Scott Frye on October 5, 2011 at 10:03 PM

Very good flight shot and the snake is surely a bonus. Eye looks nice -- blood colo ron the snake's head even standsout -- I like it

Registered on February 3, 2007, 387 Posts, 1136 Comments

Comment posted by David Haynes on October 5, 2011 at 10:27 PM

Ray,
Nice cature. Not only did you get a good image of a red tail but the snake is a huge bonus. Love the tongue ccoming out of the snake. Nice exposure and really good eye contact. Looks like you have the processing working pretty good Ray.

Registered on February 20, 2010, 110 Posts, 1511 Comments

Comment posted by SandyRichardsBrown on October 5, 2011 at 10:33 PM

Exceptionally fine flight shot - excellent detail, great pose, nice BG and the snake is a wonderful bonus.

Sandy

Registered on November 24, 2003, 3937 Posts, 12909 Comments

Comment posted by Jeff Loomis on October 5, 2011 at 11:23 PM

Great shot! Birds in flight are among the toughest shots to get, but it looks like you nailed it on this one. Obviously the snake really takes the image up a notch too. Processing looks good and the whole image is sharp. Nice work.

I can't believe you sat on this for a couple years

Registered on January 26, 2010, 68 Posts, 719 Comments

Comment posted by Ron Bielefeld on October 6, 2011 at 5:21 AM

Oh, this is super Ray. A great comp with the little bit of vege showing at the bottom grounding the image nicely. The bird is sharp and so is the snake. The blood on the snake really adds IMO. Exposure looks perfect too. A really wonderful image. Very well done.

Registered on December 6, 2008, 360 Posts, 7132 Comments

Comment posted by Dennis Plank on October 6, 2011 at 9:53 AM

Excellent, Ray. Good detail and exposure and nice wing position and eye contact. The snake is a great touch.

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

Comment posted by Hans Overduin on October 6, 2011 at 11:03 AM

Hello Ray, amazing shot ! And the ability to be able to see it catch a prey several times ! It all resulted in a great shot, you almost seem at eye level with the bird ! A great action shot indeed, I like it a lot ! Well done

, cheers, Hans

Registered on August 31, 2011, 491 Posts, 3807 Comments

Comment posted by Butch Lama on October 6, 2011 at 12:02 PM

Wow... Incredible shot, exposure is amazing...Great details & the snake takes the image to another level.

Registered on July 23, 2010, 42 Posts, 316 Comments

Comment posted by Jim Hackley on October 6, 2011 at 1:31 PM

Excellent flight shot with detail, raw conversion looks really good, nice job in getting this shot, way to go.

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

Comment posted by Graham Brown on October 6, 2011 at 5:21 PM

That's a great flight shot, it's got everything. Lovely wing position, excellent sharpness and detail and the bonus of the prey. One to be proud of. Graham

Registered on November 20, 2007, 275 Posts, 1365 Comments

Comment posted by Ashley Vincent on October 7, 2011 at 3:45 AM

Truly marvelous Ray, the exposure as well as the clarity of the eye are fantastic, very well done!

Registered on March 1, 2011, 154 Posts, 2083 Comments

Comment posted by Howard Cheek on October 7, 2011 at 10:41 AM

All the positive comments testify to a fine image on many levels (pardon the PS pun)

As someone said, it's hard to believe you sat on this one Ray, well done!

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

Comment posted by Nate Chappell on October 9, 2011 at 12:38 AM

Wonderful shot Ray, the snake puts it over the top and the clarity of the eye is outstanding, great job positioning yourself to take this.

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

Comment posted by Luke Ormand on October 9, 2011 at 9:50 AM

I've seen a red-tailed hawk with a snake once but it was far far away. This is a really great capture with the snake adding a lot of visual interest to the image - perfect exposure as well. What I lost most about this shot is it's very rare to get a good image of a red-tailed hawk (where the bird isn't directly overhead of the photographer basically). Congrats on this

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

Comment posted by Angela McCain on October 9, 2011 at 10:33 AM

An great image, Ray. I can't believe you could hold out on this post for 2 years. I would have been trying to upload it from my CAR

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

Comment posted by May Haga on October 9, 2011 at 3:11 PM

Excellent flight shot Ray and to get the bird with a snake, wow.
May

Registered on February 22, 2007, 714 Posts, 8470 Comments

Comment posted by Ray Whitt on October 9, 2011 at 4:52 PM

Thanks Angela, that made me laugh. I did post this a JPEG years ago on another site. Thanks all for the comments. I really do appreciate it.

Ray

Registered on May 27, 2011, 92 Posts, 2619 Comments

Comment posted by Ashley Vincent on October 14, 2011 at 12:37 PM

Congratulations on being awarded the EP/WP Ray, very well deserved :^)

Registered on March 1, 2011, 154 Posts, 2083 Comments

Comment posted by SandyRichardsBrown on October 14, 2011 at 1:06 PM

An exceptional catrch - congrats on the EP!
Sandy

Registered on November 24, 2003, 3937 Posts, 12909 Comments

Comment posted by Neal Cooper on October 15, 2011 at 8:11 AM

Fantastic image Ray. The light is perfect, the image sharp and the kill is a bonus. A really beautiful image indeed. One you can be very proud of. Well done.

Registered on June 3, 2009, 144 Posts, 306 Comments

Comment posted by Nate Chappell on October 15, 2011 at 1:16 PM

Congrats Ray

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

Comment posted by Simon Bennett on October 16, 2011 at 12:16 AM

Perfect forequarter perspective, eye contact, wing position, added interest with prey.

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