Raptor love

[Steve Foss]

Not having any luck finding the wolf/deer kill I'd hoped to find this morning toward Isabella, I boogied west for another afternoon in the Sax-Zim Bog and was greeted by some of the same raptors I photographed yesterday.

And a male northern harrier, to boot.

As a beginning birder in 1972, raptors were my first love among the groups of birds, and that holds true to this day. I was hoping for an owl or two over the last couple days, but if it's got a hooked bill and sharp strong talons and eats meat/fish, it's fine with me.

All with the Canon 30D and Canon 400 f5.6L, BIF shots iso200, perched shots iso400. All images shot +1 to +2 exposure compensation over evaluative metering, all Al servo focus mode.

Wish the weather wasn't going south even as we speak. There's just something about hawks and eagles that gets the blood pumping, and what with the price of gas, I'd be back tomorrow and the next day but for the rain.

I saw four separate bald eagles and nine separate rough-legged hawks today. Didn't find Jay's road-killed deer on Hwy. 5, so the scavengers must have cleaned it up.

But all the eagles were in the same half mile square, with crows and ravens around, too, though well off the road and toward the northern end of the bog, so there must have been a kill in there somewhere.

A fitting election day portrait

Finished at the polls, heading out

Level flight

Cupped in the wind

Perched in waiting

A darkening sky

[Jim Almquist]

Those are some awesome shots Steve. I can,t pick a favorite and really could care less cause I just can,t stop looking at them.

[finnbay]

Great shots, Steve! I really like the second eagle shot, though only by the tiniest fraction over the others!

[MN Shutterbug]

Dang Steve, you are on a roll. Yep, raptors rule! The second eagle shot is really unique, and the hawk in flight shots rock. I can't wait to get back to the bog.

[Steve Foss]

Thanks, guys.

For me, the B&W image is hands down the best. Something brooding about that image that asks for printing and framing. I think I'll select the eyes and lighten them just a bit to bring out more detail, and then crop off a bit from the top to get it closer to 8x10 before printing.

A white mat and black frame should do it from there. The least challenging image from the whole day (I was resting my lens on the roof of my SUV and squeezing the mouse squeak in my teeth to get the hawk to look back at me), but the one I like the best.

Man, this weather change sucks. I'd be right back out there tomorrow but for that.

BTW, IMO the eagle launching into the air actually looks like Batman descending on some hapless criminal.

[yakfisher]

Another one for the second eagle. Glad you got out ahead of the gathering storm.

[Jim Almquist]

Quote:

Man, this weather change sucks

We have already had some rain with thunder and lightning mix in so its starting

[jonny_redhorse]

All nice Steve!...something about "bog fever"....I've had it for a couple years now .....that last shot is really special for me......I see one raptor sitting on the famous highway#7 telephone pole.....gotta be the most photographed poles in Minnesota!

[DeeDee]

I know I dont need to tell you this but those are fantastic

[mmeyer]

That black and white is my favorite Steve. It's definitely top shelf stuff for sure.

Thanks for sharing.

[MARINERMAGNUM]

B&W for me too!

[JayinMN]

Great shots Steve, I like the last B&W best too.

The number of rough legged hawks in that area is amazing. They are almost a guaranteed sighting when you head down that way.

Today, I took a ride down to the road kill deer I mentioned a few days ago hoping to catch some eagles on it. Nothing was around, not even a crow so it must be picked clean.

[WCS]

Great capture on the second eagle! I also like the black and white. Nice job Steve!

[Dbl]

Second eagle, and the B&W is just beautiful. My favorite of the bunch!