If you know me, then you know one of my passions is capturing 'Birds of Prey,' especially hawks! They are NOT an easy bird to photograph but haying season does help! They LOVE the juicy morsels scurrying for cover under the swaths and the hay bales make for a perfect place to devour dinner! The trick is photographing while driving the tractor and baler! Who says a photographer can't multi-task? When the Swainson's Hawks abound ... multi-tasking is in order!
Yes, we are still baling! The weather has not fully cooperated so it's been a bit slow! Hopefully, in a few days, we will bring our equipment back home to finish up our remaining hay fields! Enjoy the remainder of the week!
This is fantastic!!! I'll have to send the link to my mom. We're big bird geeks. I have a lot to learn , but my uncle and mom are very well versed in the bird department. I also love hay season, so this post warms my heart!
ReplyDeleteThank you Erin! I would love your mom to check these out! I LOVE hawks! I find them so fascinating! I am always so happy to hear there are other bird geeks out there! ... Ah, I am not alone! Haha! Haying season is fairly popular in this house hold! I think it's my husband favourite part of mixed farming!
DeleteThat second photo is spectacular! Is the tractor moving as you shoot or are you able to stop to get the shots?
ReplyDeleteAwe, thanks Matt! I actually have a shot of a hawk pulling apart it's dinner on the bale but the focus was a bit soft ... otherwise it would've been a pretty cool shot. BOTH ... shooting while the tractor is moving and stopped; it just depends on where I am at in the field and what is going on at the moment. The only downside ... you would not like to see how dirty my camera is at the end of the day! Talk about 'field testing!' Haha!
DeleteTerri,
ReplyDeleteI was so excited to see your hawk photos! I haven't seen too many of them around here since early June. I spotted quite a few in Saskatchewan on Wednesday and commented to my husband that I miss them around here! Those shots are amazing! How often does one see two hawks together? Breathtaking shot of the hawk taking off!! I-yie-yie!
I still think we don't have as many hawks this year as what we normally do. Perhaps its a lemming thing! I managed to take a shot of another hawk the other day, only to realize afterwards in the photo that he/she was banded. Hmm ... I wonder what it's story is and where it spends the winter? Surprisingly, I see two hawks together quite often, especially the red-tailed hawks! Watch the power poles that's quite often where they will sit side by side! :)
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