Baby Hawks Update

I just wanted to share an update on the baby hawks from a previous post. These little things grow fast. I first photographed this family on May 20, 2010. The "before" photo is from that first day, the "after" photo is only 12 days later on June 1, 2010. And the biggest one had already left the nest! I went back two days later to see what sort of development had taken place and only one young bird remained. I think this was the runt of the nest because it was constantly being pushed down and food taken by the two other siblings. I feel I was very lucky because I actually got to see this one leave the nest and take flight.



The bird looked a little unsteady and hopped/flew from branch to branch to a clear spot before taking off.


























...pause for silhouette...



Take a breath, gather some nerve...and gone. So long little hawks!

I've been back a couple more times, but haven't seen the family since. It was a very rewarding experience just to watch and enjoy. I learned quite a bit about their habits, and I am in awe at just how fast they matured. I'll be keeping my fingers crossed that this nest gets used in the future!


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White Tails

I was out for a walk at the Parkville Nature Sanctuary north of Kansas City when I ran across a strutting tom turkey and hen in the middle of the trail. Of course I didn't have my camera ready. We were both surprised. We stared at each other for a long moment and they were gone into the brush before I could remember that there was this thing on my shoulder called a camera and I should probably use it to take a photo of them. Welcome to wildlife shooting with Dave. I resolved to be more attentive and heads-up for the rest of the walk. A half-mile further, I spotted four deer just off the trail. I got my gear ready and walked toward them as unassumingly as possible...no eye contact, no creeping, just like I was a regular visitor to the area hiking down the trail.

They didn't run as I approached, or flinch when I gently opened my tripod, and I photographed them for a few minutes before they moved off. The light was low and dropping, it was raining, and I had a slow lens (100-400 f/4.5-5.6), so the conditions were tough: 1/10th of a second at 400mm and I already had the camera (EOS 1Ds MkII) cranked up to ISO 1600. I photographed for a few minutes before the light was too low to focus.

It was a nice evening and I enjoyed the location very much. The Parkville Nature Sanctuary is a gem, and I plan on visiting more in the future. The trail system is a few miles in length and connects to a nearby Conservation area: White Alloe. There is a tranquil waterfall and creek and many birds to view from a boardwalk. It isn't a destination in itself, but if you are in the north Kansas City area it is definitely worth checking out.


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