03/10/26

 So today's image is not the best image I have ever taken but I am sharing it to explain why I shoot the way I do.  I shoot my images in what is called a "RAW" format rather than just the typical jpeg.  If I had shot this in jpeg, I never would have gotten anything out of it.  This is a Red Shoulder Hawk that was sitting just outside our back door.  I was in a hurry to get it and the closest camera I had did not have the correct settings and the exposure was WAY too dark, almost black.  Because I shot it in RAW I was able to recover it to this point and have it look fairly OK.  If I had shot in jpeg I would have lost much of the detail and would have ended up with an image that was totally unusable.  I shot this through a screen as well so had that against me too.  😂  JPEGS are easier to share with others but RAW helps ensure you will most likely have something to share, even when you mess it up taking the photo.

12/23/25

 A little over a week ago there was a hawk sitting in one of the trees in our backyard.  My hubster saw it first and came in and told me that he had been taking photos of it with his phone.  I quick went and got my camera and I was able to capture it as well.  It seemed very unbothered by us and sat there for quite some time after I got my images.  I believe it is a Red Shoulder Hawk but without seeing it in flight it is very difficult to tell.  The undersides of the wings with their different bar patterns make it much easier.  It's definitely not a Coopers Hawk as the tail is too short.  Google Lens agrees with me if that means anything.  😂

9/20/22

 Today's image is one from this past winter, early spring.  I was able to see and capture Red Shoulder (aka Shouldered) Hawk in a tree.  Not a common one I get to see.  I took this while out walking one afternoon.

3/8/22

 On a recent walk I captured a Red Shouldered Hawk in flight fairly close.

12/27/21

 2021 is quickly winding down to a close.  This past year I was able to get several decent hawk images.  This is one I was able to get in my own yard one morning.  This Red Shoulder Hawk came and sat on one of the bird feeder poles and then got spooked by my cat at the window and flew into our Sycamore tree.  I was able to capture this shot of it.  It's not one I see around often so I was happy to get such a close shot of one.