RSH Friends with Benefits!

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Chris Willis
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p.1 #1 · RSH Friends with Benefits!

Many of you viewed and commented on my recent post "Is This a Cooper's Hawk?" about a week ago, with the final verdict (seemingly) being that the bird I photographed was an immature broad-winged hawk. Here is the previous thread for reference: http://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/617111

I returned to the same spot where I found that hawk today, and found what I am pretty sure was the same bird, taking lots of pictures. This, time, however, she erased any doubts about her identity by calling loudly and repeatedly, making it clear that she is, in fact, an immature RED-SHOULDERED HAWK!

Here are a couple of pictures of her as she posed for me.

(1) Sitting pretty ...

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(2) Calling out -- are there any good-looking male hawks around?

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(3) How about any in this direction?

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OK, at this point, you may be asking yourself how I am so sure this is a female, and what did I mean by titling this thread "Friends With Benefits"? Well, here is what happened next. This hawk flew to a nearby tree and was sitting by herself, when all of a sudden an adult male Red-shouldered Hawk showed up and the following ensued, I was just astonished!

(4)

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(5)

(6) The whole get-together only lasted a few seconds ...

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So, that's what was going on as the Red-shouldered Hawk world turned today ... thanks for stopping by!

Chris

Edited on Feb 25, 2008 at 03:35 AM

Feb 25, 2008 at 03:31 AM

Lil Judd
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p.1 #2 · RSH Friends with Benefits!

WOW Chris. You got it!!!! What an amazing photo opportunity. You know I'll be sending this on to my friend Larry. After all, Larry correctly id'ed it as a Red-shouldered hawk.

Got to wonder just how immature she is if she's out doing this.

Oh, I just showed my husband & he thinks your shots are great.

Congratulations....

Lil

Feb 25, 2008 at 03:48 AM

timgriffin
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p.1 #3 · RSH Friends with Benefits!

Talk about being in the right place at the right time! The fact that you were able to follow up with such sharp and detailed shots is another story...
Thanks for the great series

Feb 25, 2008 at 03:54 AM

anthony whitmo
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p.1 #4 · RSH Friends with Benefits!

Kewl Post Chris !! Great story and glad you finally got your Positive bird I.D.
As for the photos, well they're great. Good job with Fabulous color and detail !! You did a great job of Photographing "The Act"

Only a few seconds huh.............. Well I guess it's good to be human

Wonderful post

Feb 25, 2008 at 03:58 AM

Laura Hughes
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p.1 #5 · RSH Friends with Benefits!

Amazing shots and talk about positive ID!!! Jusy goes to show you even the experts can't always tell. There are so many variations in these birds. Great detective work and images Chris.

Feb 25, 2008 at 04:02 AM

alameda
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p.1 #6 · RSH Friends with Benefits!

Once in a lifetime set! You do understand that now you'll need to find the nest and document the conclusion of the event you captured! What a wonderful opportunity! Steve W

Feb 25, 2008 at 04:04 AM

Jude Perera
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p.1 #7 · RSH Friends with Benefits!

Super capturing Chris. Thanks for sharing.

Jude

Feb 25, 2008 at 04:18 AM

TEASER
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p.1 #8 · RSH Friends with Benefits!

Amazing Series / Oppertunity

Spot on Capture,

Keith

Feb 25, 2008 at 04:29 AM

Herderdog
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p.1 #9 · RSH Friends with Benefits!

Wow! Chris, this is am amazing series--Congrats! and good work!

Feb 25, 2008 at 05:00 AM

suemcc
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p.1 #10 · RSH Friends with Benefits!

Hey, these should get an "R" rating!!! Really neat shots - and the set gave me quite a chuckle too!

Susan

Feb 25, 2008 at 05:23 AM

Tim Kuhn
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p.1 #11 · RSH Friends with Benefits!

Amazing, great expressions and wonderful work on your end. Fantastic job!

Tim

Feb 25, 2008 at 05:27 AM

Edward Rotberg
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p.1 #12 · RSH Friends with Benefits!

Wonderful series Chris. I guess this erases any doubt for sure! Well done and thanks for posting!

= Ed =

Feb 25, 2008 at 06:01 AM

Chris Willis
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p.1 #13 · RSH Friends with Benefits!

Lil Judd wrote:
WOW Chris. You got it!!!! What an amazing photo opportunity. You know I'll be sending this on to my friend Larry. After all, Larry correctly id'ed it as a Red-shouldered hawk.

Got to wonder just how immature she is if she's out doing this.

Oh, I just showed my husband & he thinks your shots are great.

Congratulations....

Lil

Thanks Lil, and please thank Larry for me for the correct identification. I was so glad that she was still around and I got another opportunity to photograph her, and then of course the mating just left me dumbfounded. Hopefully I will keep finding this hawk as the year goes on ...

Feb 25, 2008 at 02:33 PM

Chris Willis
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p.1 #14 · RSH Friends with Benefits!

timgriffin wrote:
Talk about being in the right place at the right time! The fact that you were able to follow up with such sharp and detailed shots is another story...
Thanks for the great series

Thanks for the comments, Tim. This was nothing but total dumb luck on my part, but of course I am not complaining!

Feb 25, 2008 at 02:35 PM

Chris Willis
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p.1 #15 · RSH Friends with Benefits!

anthony whitmo wrote:
Kewl Post Chris !! Great story and glad you finally got your Positive bird I.D.
As for the photos, well they're great. Good job with Fabulous color and detail !! You did a great job of Photographing "The Act"

Only a few seconds huh.............. Well I guess it's good to be human

Wonderful post

Thanks for the comments! In terms of the length of time, I went back to the time stamps on my pictures -- from the first frame to the last the total elapsed time was 15 seconds, during which I took roughly 30 exposures. The 15 seconds included not only "the act," but also the two hawks sitting next to each other for a couple of seconds afterward, but unfortunately the male's head was partially behind a branch, so those didn't look so great. I moved a little to try to get a clear shot of both of them, and that was his cue to fly away...

Feb 25, 2008 at 02:37 PM

Chris Willis
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p.1 #16 · RSH Friends with Benefits!

Laura Hughes wrote:
Amazing shots and talk about positive ID!!! Jusy goes to show you even the experts can't always tell. There are so many variations in these birds. Great detective work and images Chris.

Thanks Laura, and thanks for your help with the ID a week ago. This is a place that is overrun with red-shoulders, plus it would be unusual to have a broad-winged in Atlanta at this time of year, so the ID really makes sense.

I am not sure I would call this "detective work" -- the immature female was calling a lot yesterday, so it was really easy to follow her around and get set up for pictures -- all I did was follow my ears!

Feb 25, 2008 at 02:39 PM

Chris Willis
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p.1 #17 · RSH Friends with Benefits!

alameda wrote:
Once in a lifetime set! You do understand that now you'll need to find the nest and document the conclusion of the event you captured! What a wonderful opportunity! Steve W

Thanks Steve. These were shot in a tree in a parking lot of an office park, and two very dedicated birders work in the building next door. The area as a whole is very popular with Atlanta area birders, so there is every chance for someone to find the nest and tell me where it is! I've got my fingers crossed!

Feb 25, 2008 at 02:40 PM

Chris Willis
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p.1 #18 · RSH Friends with Benefits!

Jude Perera wrote:
Super capturing Chris. Thanks for sharing.

Jude

I appreciate the comments, Jude. Thanks.

Feb 25, 2008 at 02:40 PM

Chris Willis
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p.1 #19 · RSH Friends with Benefits!

TEASER wrote:
Amazing Series / Oppertunity

Spot on Capture,

Keith

Thanks, Keith. I could not have been luckier, I had the camera literally pointed at her and the focus already set when the male just flew up and landed on her! I couldn't believe it!

Feb 25, 2008 at 02:41 PM

Chris Willis
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p.1 #20 · RSH Friends with Benefits!

Herderdog wrote:
Wow! Chris, this is am amazing series--Congrats! and good work!

Thanks Bonnie! Every time I take that 300/2.8 out I am so glad I got it, that lens has really revolutionized my bird photography.

Feb 25, 2008 at 02:42 PM

Chris Willis
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p.1 #21 · RSH Friends with Benefits!

suemcc wrote:
Hey, these should get an "R" rating!!! Really neat shots - and the set gave me quite a chuckle too!

Susan

Susan, I hope the MPAA will look to the scientific and educational value of the pictures and grant me a PG-13 instead!

Thanks for looking!

Feb 25, 2008 at 02:44 PM

Chris Willis
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p.1 #22 · RSH Friends with Benefits!

Tim Kuhn wrote:
Amazing, great expressions and wonderful work on your end. Fantastic job!

Tim

Thanks, Tim. I can't claim much credit for skill in these pictures, I just saw it happening and held down the shutter release, the hawks did everything else! I was overjoyed to have captured it, though. Thanks for the comment.

Feb 25, 2008 at 02:45 PM

Chris Willis
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p.1 #23 · RSH Friends with Benefits!

Edward Rotberg wrote:
Wonderful series Chris. I guess this erases any doubt for sure! Well done and thanks for posting!

= Ed =

Thanks, Ed. I knew when she starting calling that I had solved the ID mystery, but then capturing the mating was just amazing, I could not get over having seen that!

Feb 25, 2008 at 02:46 PM

ms_yuan
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p.1 #24 · RSH Friends with Benefits!

Well, I'd say that's a definitive way to sex that hawk. Great shots, Chris.

Feb 25, 2008 at 03:43 PM

Chris Willis
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p.1 #25 · RSH Friends with Benefits!

Thanks, Mark. The proper ID of the female was not only the subject of discussion here, but also among a number of Atlanta birders, most of whom actually thought it was a Cooper's. So it was nice to get that controversy resolved! Thanks for the comment.

Feb 25, 2008 at 10:55 PM


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