Shhhhh…I’m Hunting Wabbits

[darter02]

I invite you all to check out my gallery of photos of a hawk I captured trying to flush out a rabbit from thick ground cover. It repeatedly dove and landed on the brush trying to get its prey to break cover. Amazingly, I was able to get right up the action without disturbing it at all. In fact, once it even landed on the railing 5 inches in front of me, brushing me with its wings!

I know they are not the best technically of photos. I was using my only zoom that could reach it, my EF 28-135 IS. They are not as sharp as I would like and the harsh morning light behind the action was a real pain in the butt as well.

Oh, to have a faster, sharper lens… LOL

http://www.pbase.com/darter02/carnegie_hawk

[pstewart]

What fun! Taken all together this gallery really shows the speed and determination of the hawk...really effective! And the backlighting makes the wings seem translucent and glowing in some shots...the gray sky adds drama. I know you would have preferred perfect "neat" shots, but these tell the story of a flustered hurried hungry bird, and so this gallery works for me!

[mpdequalsyfsm]

The squence of shots are wonderful! I enjoyed this gallery very much... I think the lighting and frameing add to the drama of the shoot.

[shadepuppy]

I think I know why you are known as 'darter' -- you handled the darting and twisting of that hawk very well, IMO, and came so close that you didn't need a long lens!

Bunnies are at the bottom of the food chain, and I always root for them to survive one more time, but I thank you for showing the skills of the predator - a beautiful predator. The saying is "F8 and being there" - you did both, and you did it very well.

[darter02]

Thank you all for the compliments. I really enjoyed that session. It's not everyday I get an opportunity like that. Though yesterday it was apparently back and hunting again but noone came and got me this time!

[darter02]

WOW! I just saw my gallery on the first page in the popular gallery section! Thanks for the votes!!

I've redone a few that were there that didn't process right the first time and also added a number of new ones.

I also added a few of it with it's meal. I had to crop way down to show anything though....