Found my beloved hawks again!!!

Hey guys, well, I was out yesterday doing some candid stuff in the city (and only had my 50mm and 100mm macro on me) but on the way home, while cycling along by the river, I spotted the hawks which used to swoop next to my apartment last year!
I'm so excited as I thought they'd left the city.....

So excuse me the hideous selective colour shots, but I'll be out asap with my 10-400 to "do better"!
I'm so chuffed I found their new haunt!!!
Catch you soon....
Simon

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Makes them stand out well against what would be a cluttered background.

The fly and look similar to our Northern Harrier. Do they fly low and hover to look for prey?

artyman wrote in post #9397383
Makes them stand out well against what would be a cluttered background.

Hey Ken, thanks for the comment. I was just so happy to have found them again I almost dropped my camera! As it was, the 100mm on on my 30D simply wasn't long enough......but next chance I get, they won't escape me with my 100-400 so easily!!!

canonloader wrote in post #9397477
The fly and look similar to our Northern Harrier. Do they fly low and hover to look for prey?

Nope - these never hover. In this shot, it looks like a tiddler but in fact these have 6-foot wingspans, so my aim will be to get them down low again (that's quite easy here!) and take some "coming straight at me" and "grabbing food" shots.

Grabbing food? Ah, are these the chicken lovers? Might have been you who posted them before, but it showed some old guy feeding them chicken.

canonloader wrote in post #9397520
Grabbing food? Ah, are these the chicken lovers? Might have been you who posted them before, but it showed some old guy feeding them chicken.

THAT'S RIGHT!!!!!
Twas me!
The previous pics were in the park next door to where I live....but we haven't seen the old man or the hawks recently. I just hope he hasn't shuffled off!

Although having said all that, my daily schedule was a lot different back then, so maybe the old man is thinking, "I wonder what happened to that funny foreign bloke with the massive camera....?"

Well, they were unique enough pics that I do remember them, but not who shot them. Great stuff. I think more interaction of this type with birds, by more people would be much better for both species. Wish I could have done that.

canonloader wrote in post #9397577
Well, they were unique enough pics that I do remember them, but not who shot them. Great stuff. I think more interaction of this type with birds, by more people would be much better for both species. Wish I could have done that.

It's funny you say that Mitch, because many of the locals here complain about the hawks as if they're a national menace. And the biggest voice comes from mothers worried that these vicious nasty birds will "attack their children" if they're carrying ice-creams, etc.
Talk about ignorant....
If it were cute bunny-wabbits wanting some bread; no problem.
If it were diseased-yet-"cute" stray cats begging for a snack; no problem.
But majestic, 6' wingspan birds-of-prey? THEY'RE A DANGER TO OUR BABIES!!!!
As if.....

Simon, I wouldn't say that too loud. I'm sure you know about the almost annihilation of the Bald Eagle and many other birds, here by DDT used after WW2. Well, the good news is, they are making such a strong comeback that there are now more than ever. They are a common sight now, even here in my small town, they are common to be seen sitting in trees in our downtown Riverside Park. I have been waiting for the day one takes someones little Pomeranian. And as seen in a recent thread, it's not unknown for them to attack adult humans. Go Eagles.

canonloader wrote in post #9403968
Simon, I wouldn't say that too loud. I'm sure you know about the almost annihilation of the Bald Eagle and many other birds, here by DDT used after WW2. Well, the good news is, they are making such a strong comeback that there are now more than ever. They are a common sight now, even here in my small town, they are common to be seen sitting in trees in our downtown Riverside Park. I have been waiting for the day one takes someones little Pomeranian. And as seen in a recent thread, it's not unknown for them to attack adult humans. Go Eagles.

Say what too loud? Give me an eagle/hawk/falcon any day over a Pomeranian!!!

Yup, I have been waiting for it to happen, or stories of small dogs being taken from back yards. LOL

Similar situation here in the UK the Red Kite was driven to extinction, now they are making a comeback in parts of the UK

I find it impossible to blame the birds or animals when they get mad and attack a human. My gawd, there are 7 billion of us and we've done enough to them. They have every right to be pissed at us.

Excellent shots Simon -- congrats on re-discovering your "friends!" Do you have a link to the chicken-feeding shots? I never saw that one!

canonloader wrote in post #9403968
I have been waiting for the day one takes someones little Pomeranian. And as seen in a recent thread, it's not unknown for them to attack adult humans. Go Eagles.

Funny you should mention this. I was out photographing Bald Eagles in Iowa during the holidays, and my friend (President of the local Audubon Society chapter) told me about the loss of his small dog in this way -- fortunately, he's a bird guy first and foremost!

Did he get any pictures?