Backyard Hawk

[DHaass]

You never know what you'll find in your backyard. Just got home from work and heard it before I saw it. Then I heard all the nervous doves that were roosted in the same tree with the hawk. Of course the light was bad, but I went inside, grabbed up my already mounted 500mm with 1.4x and took a few shots. It didn't seem to be in a real hurry, so I had time to grab my tripod and mount it. I kept trying to work my way around to a clear shot, but there were too many small branches sticking up all around it.

Spot metered and +1/2 EC. I had to add another 1/2 in processing. I thought I had moved it to +1 when shooting, but didn't confirm it until it flew off. No flash (would have helped using my Beamer) 1/500@F5.6 at ISO 400 and 700mm.

[jase1125]

very nice. By the looks of his chest features he had dinner not too long before you snapped this pic. Maybe the doves were mourning the loss of a friend!

[DHaass]

I'm thinking they were just afraid to leave and draw attention to themselves as a target. The hawk was not in any hurry to leave the area. It spotted me several times trying to get a better angle on it and just went back to scanning the area around it. It never exhibited any nervousness, but it was 20-25 feet up in the tree.

[houtex01]

Very nice backyard discovery Doug...nice sharp details...

Ron

[Tim T]

Cool shot Doug. Wish that I could find in my back yard. Would save on gas.

[David Alaniz]

That is pretty neat finding him in the backyard. Good shot.

[corralup]

Nice work! WB on cloudy? I bet you can take the red out a little bit on color variations.
It's worth the task when you get a chance. This is a splendid capture! I'm not picking on you what so ever. Just conversating. :)

[DHaass]

This is the 3rd time this year that I've seen a Red-shouldered Hawk in my backyard tree (same tree). Each time I've heard all the birds in the neighborhood going crazy with it around. I've kept my camera/lens/extender setup together for the very chance to catch something like this around the house. I keep my tripod in the truck ever since that one time I left it at home going to BBSP.

I've been looking for them as I drive almost everywhere I go. I spotted 12 of them from Deer Park to Sugarland on Beltway 8 on Thanksgiving Day. They were all on the overhead lights over the freeway. I spotted about 8 of them coming back from BBSP on 288 last time, all sitting on power poles along the highway. Just yesterday I saw 4 or 5 more on Genoa Red Bluff between the Beltway and Red Bluff Road and saw 2 more on Fairmont Parkway just past Red bluff Road (by the Pasadena Convention Center).

Thanks for the comments all.

Sandy...no problem, but daylight WB was used. Cloudy did not look good to me. It was a cool looking day and I wanted to match what I saw during the shot. I'm happy with it.

[Jim Victory]

Great shot Doug!

That reminds me of a young hawk I saw in my backyard recently. I had completely forgot about it.

[GSM]

very nice Doug. certainly looks content.

[ttusa]

Now that light should have been better for you. Cool to have a hawk visiting your backyard!

[slickshooter]

Cool find Doug


Dennis