[NatureNS] Round Bales: the Photographer's Friend

DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed;
Date: Thu, 6 Aug 2015 19:34:40 -0300
From: Rick Whitman <dendroica.caerulescens@gmail.com>
To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
Precedence: bulk
Return-Path: <naturens-mml-owner@chebucto.ns.ca>
Original-Recipient: rfc822;"| (cd /csuite/info/Environment/FNSN/MList; /csuite/lib/arch2html)"

next message in archive
no next message in thread
previous message in archive
Index of Subjects


I was working on a paint job when I heard a sudden and large Crow
ruckus. I knew it had to be some sort of raptor situation. I walked up
onto the road to view the field on the other side. There was a large
hawk well up the field, plucking feathers from what was obviously a
Crow, while being dive bombed by other Crows. I wasn't sure of the
hawk ID but it occurred to me that the large, round hay bales
scattered around the field would actually provide great cover for a
closer look. I returned to the house for my camera. When I got back to
the field, the Crow had just escaped and was leaving. ( I expect the
dive bombing was a bit much. As determined later, the Crow had only
lost a few dozen feathers at that point.). The hawk was still on the
ground. I entered the field and used two round bales to approach the
hawk. All it eventually would have seen was my head and camera above
the second bale. I had more than 6 1/2 minutes to take photos. The
bird was a Northern Goshawk, second year. You can see the transitional
aspects from juvenile to adult plumage quite nicely. My three best
photos are here:

https://rickwhitman.smugmug.com/Nature/Birds-July-September-2015/i-2ZZpF5c/A

Rick Whitman
(White Rock, Kings Co.)

next message in archive
no next message in thread
previous message in archive
Index of Subjects