# Red tail hawks-2



## RCR 3 EVER (Aug 14, 2009)

For the past week we have had 2 Red shouldered hawks calling to each other in the trees above our yard. At least I believe they are Red shouldered hawks. I have listened to various voice prints and they all sound the same as our hawks. So far we have seen them chase down squirrels and last night 1 missed a rabbit in the yard, darn that would have been cool to see. I was 35 ft away taking photos of 1 bird when it landed in our yard. It then snatched a vole from the lawn and flew to a tree to eat it. 
Hopefully they do not migrate and they stick around for the feeding frenzy this Winter. Last Winter I counted at least 24 squirrels raiding our bird feeders in our front and back yards all at the same time. We have so many squirrels they are eating the bark off the trees. We only set out 6 small .25 cup piles of sunflower seed for the squirrels. The rest of the seed does not have sunflower seed or peanuts.
With the hawks around they will make short work of the squirrel population.

Before the hawks came around we had 4 chipmunks in yard and at least 6 squirrels in our trees, For some reason I can not find any sign of any chipmunks or have not seen any squirrels for more than a week now. 

All photos were taken with a 350 mm lens without a flash so birds would not spook so some are a bit blurred.








Bird landed roughly 45 ft away:




Jumped down into yard now about 40':




Walking towards me and to a vole hidden in the grass now about 35' from me and very wary of me standing so close since it is staring right at me:


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## RCR 3 EVER (Aug 14, 2009)

*Running off with its meal*

Last shot of hawk running off with it's meal of a vole prior to taking off for a tree branch.


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## welder15725 (Aug 14, 2009)

Those are some good shots. I like taking pics of wildlife. I just wish 600mm lens wasn't so expensive.


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## RCR 3 EVER (Aug 14, 2009)

welder15725 said:


> Those are some good shots. I like taking pics of wildlife. I just wish 600mm lens wasn't so expensive.



I was using the EOS-3 and a 75-200mm IS Canon zoom with a 1.5 converter. Kodak Gold 200 film. Spot metering on the sunlit birds in a shaded tree was critical. Since I did not want to spook the birds I did not use the flash when the birds were in the shade so they were a bit blurred. When they come back I will try to use a flash since they are sticking around. The flash will also add a highlight to the eye to give it more life. 
The Image stabilization helps to keep camera steady but does not keep bird steady on a blowing tree limb.
I wish for a 600mm also but also wish for a digital camera as well., first I wish for the money though.


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## welder15725 (Aug 15, 2009)

My wife is taking photography classes, so I broke down and bought her a Nikon D60. She was using a Minolta 
X700. We have a 500mm for that camera. I just need to get it cleaned.


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## smokechase II (Aug 15, 2009)

*Red*

Red Tailed or Red Shouldered Hawks?


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## RCR 3 EVER (Aug 16, 2009)

smokechase II said:


> Red Tailed or Red Shouldered Hawks?



I am NOT an expert but, they look to be Red Shoulder Hawks. At a website that had bird calls the call is extremely similar to the Red Shoulder at the site. Our birds are very vocal. 

They do not have a long screech like the hawk sounds in movies. At most websites they state movies and documentaries generally use the most popular call of a Red tail Hawk for a hawk call.

I was talking to a neighbor a few doors down and he showed me a hawk nest that was on his property, I showed him my photos and he said those were the same birds as on the nest with young hawks. He enjoyed watching the birds eat and grow up.

Hopefully they will come back to nest next year as he will let me know and I will take more photos of the youngsters.


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## smokechase II (Aug 16, 2009)

*I agree*

Was just wondering why this is a Red TAILED Hawk thread?


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## beerman6 (Aug 18, 2009)

Cool pics.


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## 2000ssm6 (Aug 18, 2009)

Yup, awesome pics!


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## RCR 3 EVER (Aug 19, 2009)

smokechase II said:


> Was just wondering why this is a Red TAILED Hawk thread?



YOU ARE RIGHT, I mis typed the title, I was thinking one thing and hands typed the other words,sorry


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