Male Red-tailed Hawk with yellow wildflowers – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/1250, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light, not baited
What is better than photographing a male Red-tailed Hawk? Photographing the hawk with blooming wildflowers.
Five days ago I spotted this male Red-tailed Hawk resting on a cliff face with blooming yellow wildflowers him and I took photos of him from two different distances. I like the images where I was farther away from the resting raptor because it showed a nice view of the desert habitat and more of the blooming wildflowers.
Yellow wildflowers and a male Red-tailed Hawk – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/640, ISO 400, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light, not baited
But I also liked the images of the male Red-tailed Hawk where I was closer where they felt more intimate because my focus was more on the bird. Both photos have their appeal and I really couldn’t pick a favorite.
I know that this is a male Red-tailed Hawk because he is part of a mated pair I have been photographing for several weeks.
Birds and wildflowers… life is good.
Mia
Click here to see more of my Red-tailed Hawk photos plus facts and information about this species.
Nice images. I appreciate the link you gave for more information on the ubiquitous, at lease in the West, biscuitroot. Here is an interesting paragraph from that link:
When the Lewis and Clark expedition reached Idaho’s Lemhi Valley, its members were surprised to discover that the region’s Shoshone tribespeople had huge, thin biscuits about 1 foot by 2 feet to offer in trade for the goods carried by the explorers. The large cakes, called konse, weren’t actually biscuits as we know them, though … in fact, they were prepared from the dried roots of Lomatium, a member of the Umbelliferae (carrot or parsley) family. That edible wild plant is now commonly known as biscuitroot.
Beautiful bird, beautiful environs.
Thank you.
Beautiful shot! Love his over-the-shoulder pose.
Mia, your picture is beautiful. The yellow blossoms add to the shot, other wise it would just be another Hawk picture. Makes you want to paint the picture. Thanks
Wonderful combination of bird and blossoms. Yesterday I had a great photo setup with a Blue-headed Vireo in cherry blossoms but the bird was always pointing away from the camera– but not looking back so attractively as did as your Red-tail.