A Christmas Day snow storm and a Red-tailed HawkA Christmas Day snow storm and a Red-tailed Hawk – Nikon D810, f6.3, 1/5000, ISO 2500, +0.7 EV, Nikkor 500mm with 1.4x TC, natural light, not baited.

I did wake up this Christmas morning to snow-covered ground so I got my wish for a white Christmas. The other events that made my day perfect were talking to my mom, my sons, and being out in the field photographing birds on Christmas morning, a tradition for me. I simply couldn’t be any happier.

Towards the end of my time in the field this morning I spotted a gorgeous Red-tailed Hawk in a tree at quite a distance. I kept thinking “I wish the bird were closer” because it was so far away. It was snowing hard at the time and even though the hawk was way out I photographed it as the snow blew around the bird and also around me. Still I kept thinking that I wished it were closer.

Then I noticed the Red-tailed Hawk getting ready to lift off and as it did I fired my shutter not really expecting anything worth keeping. The light was low, the snow was blowing, I had bumped my ISO up to 2500 which is pretty high and I figured I’d look at the frames and be disappointed.

That was until I pulled this frame up on my monitor at home.

I love the mood it conveys, the falling snow, the trees in the distant background and the pose of the hawk. For me it couldn’t be any more perfect.

And you know what? I’m glad the hawk wasn’t any closer or I would have missed out on exactly this image that I will always remember was created on this Christmas Day.

Life is amazing.

Happy Holidays everyone.

Mia