Mike Spinak
pro member
Yesterday, I photographed a pair of red-tailed hawks gathering nest material. It took me a while to understand the scene well enough to shoot decently (where they flew in from, what their flight path was, which trees they was visiting, etc.), and then it was over for the morning before I really got the best shots I can get. They made several passes. Here are some of the shots I got.
First, a fly in:
Then, a hawk grabs the branches and breaks them off:
Now the red-tail has some branches, and it is ready to carry them to where the nest is to be built:
The moment of take-off –– the hawk has the nest material; it raises it's wings high for a powerful downstroke, while jumping off the branch:
First, a fly in:
Then, a hawk grabs the branches and breaks them off:
Now the red-tail has some branches, and it is ready to carry them to where the nest is to be built:
The moment of take-off –– the hawk has the nest material; it raises it's wings high for a powerful downstroke, while jumping off the branch: