Check out the Swainson's Hawk -- 3 weeks out of the nest

[handyrandyrc]

http://www.freesteader.com/forums/index ... owentry=55

Shot some pictures last night. The hay is freshly-cut, and the mice are plentiful. The 4 baby hawks are learning to hunt. I got close up to one of them.

[mescalero1]

Really cool, thanks

[2ndovc]

Great pictures!!


jb

[AJMD429]

Was that a telephoto lens, or a camera with a spotting-scope adapter, or what? Truly great photos.

[handyrandyrc]

I was just a few feet away from the bird. It was a juvenile, and sat right there and had me watch.

According to the JPEG embedded info:
Panasonic DMC-FZ28 (belongs to my folks) -- originals are 3648x2736 (I think 10MP)
33mm focal length
F/5.6
1/250 sec. exposure
ISO 160

Standard lens that it came with out of the box. Pics were taken from 15 feet to within a few feet and zoomed way up. Everything on the camera was on AUTO.

[JerryB]

Beautiful photos, thanks. We enjoy all the birds around here sparrows to hawks, they all eat what we put out.

[AJMD429]

Everything on the camera was on AUTO.

Then how come MINE don't look so good...! I guess some folks' "auto" is better than others...

Seriously, I guess the incredibly close distances must have helped alot.

Thanks for sharing.

[J Miller]

Nice pictures. What kind of hawk is that?



AJMD, I'm camera stupid. I went from a point and shoot to a Canon AE-1 semi manual, to a Canon Rebel 2000 to a Canon D-60 slr. I have no idea how to use the electronic settings on the last two cameras. So I leave them on auto. About the only thing I go to manual for is the focus.
I've found that a week battery will throw all the auto settings off. Also if your eyes are week you will not get a good focus from the manual settings unless the camera has a built in diopter. My D-60 does and it's usually set on -3 I think. My Rebel 2000 and the AE-1 I have to fake it.

Joe

[kimwcook]

Thanks for the pics. Those are great. We have a lot of hawks around my part of the country. Everything from little sparrow hawks on up to big red tails.

[Idahoser]

Oh man I miss my AE-1 and even more my F-1 but I don't miss film at all.

We got what I thought was a good deal on a Panasonic Lumix when the local Wolf Camera was closing. 12x zoom, all optical.

You can get great pictures with a cheap or small camera if the light is great, no motion is present, and you can get close enough (but not too close). If those conditions aren't met then it takes a camera that won't fit in your pocket.

Auto is good for most things, but it is nice to be able to override it when you have a special situation.

[handyrandyrc]

Found out it's a Swainson's Hawk, according to the experts at:

http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?p=1562332

[dr walker]

Great shots.

[BlueStateSaint]

Those shots are awesome. I'd love it if I could get that close to a red-tail hawk around here.

[Ysabel Kid]

Fantastic! Thanks for sharing!!!

[Mike D.]

Excellent photos. Those birds, like Black Shouldered Kites, are easily walked up to, especially when they are young. Of course, you already know that.

Despite all the weeping and whining by eco-creeps, the Swainson's is alive and well in these parts. Their signature in flight are the long wings that taper nearly to a point, unlike the round winged Red tails and other Buteos. Despite their size, they are primarily insect eaters, but will take small mice and voles. They nest in trees and aren't too particular with height over the ground. We have raised fledgling Swainsons and they tame right down and will follow you anywhere.

[shdwlkr]

Had one of them in my yard next to the house last year. Sure did take care of the few snakes that came in the yard.
Really nice pictures mine didn't turn out that good but I think from what has been said here it must have been a young one as it let me get within 15 feet and never seemed to mind my being there.