Meh, just another hawk image

I like it

Excellent image!

"Meh, just another hawk image"


Uh huh, OK....

Great Shot!

Nicely done, do you have anymore?

Beautiful hawk!

Beautiful !

I wish my "mehs" were like that. I'll show you meh !

Nice one!

Budcam, I went out this afternoon per your request and will post up another tomorrow when I get out of the hospital (we know where his nest is now).

Thanks to everyone for the kind words. Means a lot to have support.

Capt.Bob, remember I'd trade 40 pics of a hawk for one Kite

Great image.

Beautiful shot! I would love one photo of a hawk that is as nice!

Wonderful, looks like a very life like sculpture.

OK. Since all who have responded like hawks I'll tell you the story.
We have a 'bird studio' out back....its just a bunch of feeders and modular prop setup where we
can change perches/backdrops/feed​er locations at will.
One day last fall I image a hawk in the neighborhood-
https://www.flickr.com …/album-72157643414732075/
It was with my Sony and the closest I'd ever gotten to a hawk....most of the time no more than two telephone poles distance.
So I knew he was cruising the neighborhood.
Now back to the bird studio. It brings in lots of bird feed which brings in squirrels:
https://www.flickr.com …5282232274/in/d​ateposted/
and rats, mice, snakes, etc.
One day I looked up into about 100 yards from the studio and saw the RTH looking at the studio.
This was in the early fall. So I knew he was not only in the area but looking at my song birds and the rodents
the feed was bringing it.
So I build a 'hawk station'=4 x 4 post in the ground with lots of sticks screwed on top.
Then winter came and everything snow covered and ice.
Then I started 'baiting' the hawk in with chicken----we do buy free range chicken for the hawkS to avoid dosing them with
antibiotics and hormones.
Here you can see the remains of a drumstick:
https://www.flickr.com …/album-72157662992337134/
So after three months of me going out and waiving the piece of chicken (or squirrel, I provide squirrel too, don't ask me how
I get the squirrel) and whistling, it's not that long before he flies into the area and that's how shots like this are possible:
https://www.flickr.com …/album-72157662992337134/
Before I go on let me say AGAIN, that I contacted Wildlife Resource Agency to make sure what I am doing is OK. It is as long
as I don't attempt to trap/cage the hawk.
Also I discussed with the Agency the mortality rate of hawks=bad, very bad.
And at this point I'm helping feed the Mrs. and the chicks...I'm good with that.

So why write all this. Because some of you are interested and this shows that you too can bring in a hawk, and if he is fed chances
are he will leave the Cardinals, Blue-J's, etc. alone.

Thoughts?