Birds Birds of Prey / Raptor Thread - Post Your Shots Here

[Tim Mayo]

Since I don't think we have a birds of prey or raptor thread I may as well start one off.

Here's a young male sparrowhawk waiting for breakfast in our garden this morning. Well at least I think they are male! I'm sure @Kevriano can correct me if I'm wrong They went hungry on this occasion but I'm sure that won't last for long.

Birds of prey shot in birds of prey / falconry centres are welcome here providing their focus is conservation and not just for profit.

• ILCE-1
• FE 200-600mm F5.6-6.3 G OSS
• 600.0 mm
• ƒ/6.3
• 1/2000 sec
• ISO 1600

 

[Uncle Kevriano]

Nice! Hard to tell at this stage, I'd be inclined to think Female as there is no orange around the head/neck, but it could just be that it's young. Good idea for a thread

 

[Uncle Kevriano]

Not a shot I've uploaded here before. A Marsh Harrier at Minsmere recently.

• ILCE-7RM4
• FE 200-600mm F5.6-6.3 G OSS
• 600.0 mm
• ƒ/7.1
• 1/3200 sec
• ISO 1600

 

[Tim Mayo]

Nice! Hard to tell at this stage, I'd be inclined to think Female as there is no orange around the head/neck, but it could just be that it's young. Good idea for a thread

Cheers Kev! It's definitely not easy unless you've got a male and a female next to each other to compare. I went with male due to the reddish tinge to the breast feathers and I think females have a more prominent white stripe above the eye, but that could still be developing at this age. This one definitely has some practicing to do! The adults fly into the garden like bullets but this young one is a little slow then just sits there hoping a meal is going to come to them!

 

[Tim Mayo]

Not a shot I've uploaded here before. A Marsh Harrier at Minsmere recently.

Lovely Kev. I've heard we have them around here occasionally but I've yet to spot one.

 

[spudhead]

Since I don't think we have a birds of prey or raptor thread I may as well start one off.

Here's a young male sparrowhawk waiting for breakfast in our garden this morning. Well at least I think they are male! I'm sure @Kevriano can correct me if I'm wrong They went hungry on this occasion but I'm sure that won't last for long.

View attachment 24505

hi Tim you have not set any rules, is this thread, just for wild and free birds of prey or are shots allowed of captive birds? because as you well know it will not take long for folks to complain.

 

[Tim Mayo]

hi Tim you have not set any rules, is this thread, just for wild and free birds of prey or are shots allowed of captive birds? because as you well know it will not take long for folks to complain.

Birds of prey shot in birds of prey / falconry centres are welcome here providing their focus is conservation and not just for profit. I've added this to the original thread. It's just the Wildlife Forum where I prefer to keep things actually wild otherwise I have more people complaining about the animals not being wild than I get complaining about not being able to post captive animals. Hence the reason for a captive animals forum as well. In the Birds Forum captive birds are actually welcome (they are not excluded in the forum description like the wildlife forum) but I leave people to judge for themselves if the birds are well looked after and not solely being kept for profit.

 

[spudhead]

Ok this is an old shot from 2016 taken with a99ii and minolta 400 and 1.4 teleconverter, I came across this kestrel on a railway siding

• ILCA-99M2
• 400mm F4.5
• 560.0 mm
• ƒ/14
• 1/200 sec
• ISO 500

• ILCA-99M2
• 400mm F4.5
• 560.0 mm
• ƒ/14
• 1/200 sec
• ISO 500

• ILCA-99M2
• 400mm F4.5
• 560.0 mm
• ƒ/14
• 1/200 sec
• ISO 500

 

[WeeMalky]

This was shot through my bedroom window Sparrowhawk sitting on the fence

• ILCE-6500
• FE 28mm F2
• 28.0 mm
• ƒ/2
• 1/20 sec
• ISO 3200

• ILCE-9
• FE 200-600mm F5.6-6.3 G OSS
• 463.0 mm
• ƒ/6.3
• 1/500 sec
• ISO 800

 

[WeeMalky]

• ILCE-7M2
• FE 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 GM OSS
• 400.0 mm
• ƒ/5.6
• 1/500 sec
• ISO 250

 

[WeeMalky]

• ILCE-9
• FE 200-600mm F5.6-6.3 G OSS
• 600.0 mm
• ƒ/6.3
• 1/500 sec
• ISO 2500

• ILCE-9
• FE 200-600mm F5.6-6.3 G OSS
• 600.0 mm
• ƒ/6.3
• 1/500 sec
• ISO 2000

• ILCE-9
• FE 200-600mm F5.6-6.3 G OSS
• 600.0 mm
• ƒ/6.3
• 1/500 sec
• ISO 4000

 

[Tim Mayo]

This was shot through my bedroom window Sparrowhawk sitting on the fence

Great shot Malcolm. Those windows are spotless!

 

[WeeMalky]

• ILCE-9
• FE 200-600mm F5.6-6.3 G OSS
• 600.0 mm
• ƒ/6.3
• 1/2500 sec
• ISO 320

• ILCE-9
• FE 200-600mm F5.6-6.3 G OSS
• 600.0 mm
• ƒ/6.3
• 1/2500 sec
• ISO 1000

• ILCE-9
• FE 200-600mm F5.6-6.3 G OSS
• 200.0 mm
• ƒ/5.6
• 1/2500 sec
• ISO 400

 

[Jeff A]

View attachment 24587View attachment 24588View attachment 24589View attachment 24590

Outstanding set Malcolm!

 

[Uncle Kevriano]

Great shots here Malky

 

[WeeMalky]

Great shots here Malky

Thanks, Kev

 

[spudhead]

View attachment 24587View attachment 24588View attachment 24589View attachment 24590

dito to all replies Malky well done

 

[WeeMalky]

dito to all replies Malky well done

Thanks,Gary

 

[MrFotoFool]

I posted this in the North American Wildlife thread, but I hope it's ok to cross-post here. Cooper's hawk (with kill on branch) at Sweetwater Wetlands in Tucson, USA.

• ILCE-7M4
• FE 200-600mm F5.6-6.3 G OSS
• 202.0 mm
• ƒ/8
• 1/500 sec
• ISO 1600

 

[Tim Mayo]

A few more shots of our garden sparrowhawk visitor. The first was shot through a closed window so it's not the sharpest of images. I might put it through Sharpen AI.

• ILCE-1
• FE 200-600mm F5.6-6.3 G OSS
• 600.0 mm
• ƒ/6.3
• 1/500 sec
• ISO 640

• ILCE-1
• FE 200-600mm F5.6-6.3 G OSS
• 600.0 mm
• ƒ/6.3
• 1/640 sec
• ISO 400

She unfortunately missed this little house sparrow.

• ILCE-1
• FE 200-600mm F5.6-6.3 G OSS
• 200.0 mm
• ƒ/6.3
• 1/1000 sec
• ISO 1000

• ILCE-1
• FE 200-600mm F5.6-6.3 G OSS
• 529.0 mm
• ƒ/6.3
• 1/250 sec
• ISO 200

 

[spudhead]

ok so last year I went along to a birds of prey so called flying day, a birthday gift but being october the fog on the moors made photos almost impossible so here we have a head shot

• ILCE-9
• Sony FE 200–600mm F5.6–6.3 G OSS (SEL200600G)
• 485.0 mm
• ƒ/6.3
• 1/500 sec
• ISO 250

 

[Tim Mayo]

ok so last year I went along to a birds of prey so called flying day, a birthday gift but being october the fog on the moors made photos almost impossible so here we have a head shot

Lovely detail Gary. Almost looks like it was shot with a macro lens not the 200-600!

 

[spudhead]

more from falconry day as the fog lifted

• ILCE-9
• Sony FE 200–600mm F5.6–6.3 G OSS (SEL200600G)
• 250.0 mm
• ƒ/6.3
• 1/2000 sec
• ISO 2500

• ILCE-9
• Sony FE 200–600mm F5.6–6.3 G OSS (SEL200600G)
• 200.0 mm
• ƒ/14
• 1/2500 sec
• ISO 4000

• ILCE-9
• Sony FE 200–600mm F5.6–6.3 G OSS (SEL200600G)
• 200.0 mm
• ƒ/14
• 1/2500 sec
• ISO 4000

• ILCE-9
• Sony FE 200–600mm F5.6–6.3 G OSS (SEL200600G)
• 250.0 mm
• ƒ/6.3
• 1/2000 sec
• ISO 2500

 

[Ralph]

I was just over the border in NSW and one of the thing's I was after was birds of prey.
Luck was on my side as I seen a few on this day but this one which is here is a young Brown Falcon.
This was on my side of the car so I just rolled the window down and get the shots.
My mate got out of the car and that was the end as it flew off.

• ILCE-7M3
• 100-400mm F5-6.3 DG DN OS | Contemporary 020
• 400.0 mm
• ƒ/8
• 1/1250 sec
• ISO 800

• ILCE-7M3
• 100-400mm F5-6.3 DG DN OS | Contemporary 020
• 400.0 mm
• ƒ/8
• 1/1250 sec
• ISO 800

• ILCE-7M3
• 100-400mm F5-6.3 DG DN OS | Contemporary 020
• 400.0 mm
• ƒ/8
• 1/1250 sec
• ISO 800

 

[Deleted Member 5003]

A few more shots of our garden sparrowhawk visitor. The first was shot through a closed window so it's not the sharpest of images. I might put it through Sharpen AI.

View attachment 24765

View attachment 24766

She unfortunately missed this little house sparrow.

View attachment 24764

View attachment 24767

Nice collection of shots......

 

[spudhead]

common buzzard found on a card from 2019 huge crop 1.1 meg from 42meg a-mount a99ii 300 g

• ILCA-99M2
• 300mm F2.8 G
• 300.0 mm
• ƒ/2.8
• 1/400 sec
• ISO 800

 

[Tim Mayo]

It was nice to see this sparrowhawk land in the garden yesterday as I've not seen one for a few weeks. There were around 10 long-tailed tits feeding at the time but they soon hid themselves in a bush. As soon as he flew off they were back pecking on the fat balls literally just 5 seconds later. Shot through the window unfortunately so not the cleanest of shots.

• ILCE-1
• FE 200-600mm F5.6-6.3 G OSS
• 600.0 mm
• ƒ/6.3
• 1/1000 sec
• ISO 3200

Just about managed to sneak the window open and grab another quick shot before he flew off.

• ILCE-1
• FE 200-600mm F5.6-6.3 G OSS
• 600.0 mm
• ƒ/6.3
• 1/1000 sec
• ISO 6400

 

[spudhead]

Tim these are nice birds and good job even if they were from inside

 

[spudhead]

ok so you have all seen these I think so I forgot about Tim starting the raptor thread so I will add these

• ILCE-9
• Sony FE 200–600mm F5.6–6.3 G OSS (SEL200600G)
• 600.0 mm
• ƒ/9
• 1/1250 sec
• ISO 2500

• ILCE-9
• Sony FE 200–600mm F5.6–6.3 G OSS (SEL200600G)
• 600.0 mm
• ƒ/6.3
• 1/2500 sec
• ISO 2500

• ILCE-9
• Sony FE 200–600mm F5.6–6.3 G OSS (SEL200600G)
• 600.0 mm
• ƒ/6.3
• 1/2500 sec
• ISO 2000

• ILCE-9
• Sony FE 200–600mm F5.6–6.3 G OSS (SEL200600G)
• 600.0 mm
• ƒ/6.3
• 1/2500 sec
• ISO 6400

• ILCE-9
• Sony FE 200–600mm F5.6–6.3 G OSS (SEL200600G)
• 600.0 mm
• ƒ/6.3
• 1/2500 sec
• ISO 4000

 

[Uncle Kevriano]

Fantastic Tim. Really nice. I never get the camera on our regular these days, she's off too quick.

Beautiful Kes Gary.