King of the Prairie Skies
20160130-_DSC3304
In my opinion the red-tailed hawk is the king of the skies over open fields, at least in this area of the U.S.. The largest red-tail weighs only 3 pounds/1.4 kilograms, but is among the largest raptors hunting over open ground.
Hawk populations in northern Illinois swell in winter, as there are year-round resident hawks as well as hawks which have migrated to this area from the far north. This morning on a drive to go shopping I saw six red-tailed hawks on a 4 mile/6.4 kilometer trip.
+1 EV shooting against the sky, 5 point center focus. 1/1250th shutter speed was quite not fast enough to freeze the upper wing. I shoot aperture priority 99% of the time, but will try shutter priority also adjusting ISO and aperture for a faster shutter.
Comments
|
(31)
January (31)
(28)
February (28)
(31)
March (31)
(29)
April (29)
(31)
May (31)
(30)
June (30)
(31)
July (31)
(30)
August (30)
(30)
September (30)
(31)
October (31)
(30)
November (30)
(31)
December (31)
|
(30)
January (30)
(29)
February (29)
(30)
March (30)
(27)
April (27)
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
|
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
|
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
|
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
|
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
|
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
|
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
|
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
|
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
|
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
|