SSHA = 1, HOSP = 0

Gallery: AvianPosted August 26, 201687 views8 comments

Yesterday I looked out my window and saw a Northern Waterthrush on my lawn. It was raining so I quickly put up my blind in the hope that it would return. I wasn't in the blind more than 10 minutes when I heard a lot of noise beside me. There was the Sharp-shinned Hawk with one of my little House Sparrows.

Nikon D810
300 2.8
1.4 tc
ISO 1000
f 5.6
1/320

Thanks for looking and critiques appreciated.

May

Comments

8 comments

Comment posted by Keith Bauer on August 26, 2016 at 10:23 AM

Sometimes nature is tough to watch. Nice story with a moment captured that certainly depicts real life nature. Looking at the larger version, it appears the focus is a bit off. The sharpest part of the image appears to be the wood at the bottom of the frame.....

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

Comment posted by SandyRichardsBrown on August 26, 2016 at 11:12 AM

Tough to see, but a wonderful shot. Nice pose from the hawk, and a sad view of the sparrow.
A little additional selective sharpening, especially of the head, would help the slightly-off focus.
Nice image!
Sandy

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

Comment posted by Julia Flanagan on August 26, 2016 at 6:11 PM

Better the European house sparrow than the Lousiana water thrush! Perhaps you can send him over to my place - I have quite a few house sparrows he can have.

Now about the shot - well done! Although the bg is somewhat busy, I like it. It conveys a sense of environment along with the milled lumber. My mind immediately goes to a hawk hunting in a residential setting picking off suburban birds. The difference in point of sharpness seems minor to me.

Registered on November 13, 2003, 59 Posts, 986 Comments

Comment posted by Pete Bengeyfield on August 26, 2016 at 6:34 PM

Nice catch - good shot too. enlightened

Registered on December 2, 2003, 1247 Posts, 3439 Comments

Comment posted by Peter J. Morrissey on August 27, 2016 at 11:48 AM

Hi May
Really nice head turn and nature shot.

Peter

Registered on July 3, 2011, 188 Posts, 969 Comments

Comment posted by Dennis Plank on August 27, 2016 at 3:54 PM

Excellent, May. Really nice detail and pose, and the prey is perfectly laid out. The bg looks a bit noisy-I'd be tempted to do some selective noise reduction or blurring on it.

devil

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

Comment posted by Matt Shellenberg on August 28, 2016 at 2:39 PM

I have the same problem with a Coopers Hawk in my backyard, May. Nice image showing both the Hawk and it's prey.

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

Comment posted by Nate Chappell on August 29, 2016 at 3:49 PM

Great capture May, as so often happens we get something excellent while trying for something else. It looks to me like the focus was on the sparrow. devil

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