Suburban Raptors

Today I went after a little Fascinating Falcon, instead I got miself a Beautiful Buteo.

Hand-held 300D/EF-S 60 f2.8 USM Macro.
No cropping, no post processing.

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Superb Peter,superb.
Peter,shot with the 60mm? how close were you?

These are among your best. Pretty bird. Is he a city fella ?

Thank you Dimitri. Oooops...sorry, I get confused sometimes about the lens I used .....at my "gerens" age that can be forgiven ......it was the 300 f4 +1.4xTC
Peter

beautiful pictures Peter lucky you to find a buteo in the concrete jungle it looks like he has left a scrap of food on the pipe ,,, or not anyways well done sir

Very very good capture, it should be difficult see this fella in cities.

Thanx gents....we do not see many Red Tails in Toronto any more......however, they are still a relatively frequent sight in the suburbs, where there is some undeveloped land/open fields left. However, I definitely do not sight as many kestrels around here as I used to.

Also the Bushwhackers are getting few and far in between. However, a Cooper's has been regularly patrolling our backyard ever since we re-mounted the feeders this fall. (Unfortunately, I lack both the patience and the inclination to sit for hours on end waiting for a shot of him. )

Very nice shots.

Very nice images. He's a healthy looking guy. Doesn't look like he misses too many meals.

Very nice Peter. I would love to see one up close rather than a kilometer up or a hundred yards off......the second shot in particular is very detailed..nice work

Actually, these kind shots are very easy....a big bird, standing still for 5-10 seconds, lottsa light.....anybody can do it.

What is difficult, Blue old son, is getting a wide angle of a wild bird, or a passeriform in-flight shot.

Thanx Desertraptor, thanx Joel.

Very nice Peter; I see you have gotten back to serious bird photography

Thanx Gary. I agree with you on that.
Thanx Dennis. "Serious" is the sideline. Avantgarde is where this old boy is having fun
Here is a couple of "less serious" shots for you.

I can assure you that the crow had her way very quickly with the hawk...he flapped away kinda resigned to inccessant mobbing by his nemesis the crow.

Again, needless to say, no crop, no PP.

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Peter,

Great shots. For a moment there I thought that you were hanging out of your balcony or window to take the shot with the 60mm... until I read your reply... lol. Looks like the remnants of his meal are still on the pipe.

Cheers!

Thanx John.
Indeed, that appears to be a fresh blood stain he might have left there while dining. That pipe is probably one of his favourite perches. We'll keep checking him ot periodically.