Nature - Red in tooth and claw (Warning)

Whipspeed · 13-04-2008, 20:05

Saw this in the garden looking into my bay tree and got the camera out. It stayed there for several minutes, just looking, then suddenly a sparrow flew out of the tree at great speed followed by the hawk across the garden. It then sat with on the fence for a while before flying onto our garage roof. At the time, I didn't notice the sparrow in it's grasp as it is a way from the house. When I opened the files and cropped in I saw the bird it had captured.
I hope it doesn't offend anyone, but it's not often you get this in a town garden so I was lucky to get the camera out while my husband grabbed a lens for me.
I took 104 shots and got 2 decent ones

Obviously I find men in lycra easier to capture

Sparkymark · 13-04-2008, 20:30

Great capture, Sarah - nature can seem brutal sometimes, but it's reality. Excellent shot. 100-400?

Larne · 13-04-2008, 20:31

I think it's a brilliant shot. Birds of Prey are entirely about catching and killing other birds and as such you have captured perfectly the essence of the subject. The expression of the sparrow also perfectly supports the story of the shot.

It's also nice and sharp and well posed with 'eye contact' from the Hawk.

Would have been better on a nice mossy rock rather than a mossy felt roof but that's neither here nor there.

Great pic, well shot.

Whipspeed · 13-04-2008, 20:37

Thank you both. Yes, the garage roof not as picturesque as the countryside, but at least it's mossy.
Mark, yes, it's the 100-400. I had the 70-200 on the camera and as I whizzed upstairs to shoot, my lovely hubby was opening the window and getting the other lens ready for me. What a star!

**stepheno** · 13-04-2008, 20:45

Belter

Whipspeed · 13-04-2008, 20:48

Thank you

AQ · 13-04-2008, 20:52

Great opportunistic shot. Well done

That is life and death in nature. I read somewhere that 99.99% of all living things end their lives in somethings else's stomach. Not sure I really wanted to know that but I guess it makes a point.

P.S. your garage roof needs fixing

Whipspeed · 13-04-2008, 20:56

LOL! I'll tell andy.

Ali · 13-04-2008, 21:14

Although not 'pleasant', it really is an absolute cracker of a shot - right place, right time!

JMitchell · 13-04-2008, 22:31

Great shot, just wish we had birds that were damned interesting around here

Sloeye · 14-04-2008, 06:45

Stunning shot!

P-E · 14-04-2008, 07:21

Cracking shot Sarah.

fionaB · 14-04-2008, 07:49

hey that one out of 104 I would have been pleased with! excellent work

fi

Whipspeed · 14-04-2008, 08:04

Thank you all for the comments. I've got another one I'll load on later. Jack, first interesting bird shot from here. We have hudreds of sparrows and starlings, as the amount of bird food eaten would testify and a couple of Robins. But this just stunned us.

Chilliman · 14-04-2008, 09:48

Perfect capture both by you and the hawk.

13-04-2008, 20:05	#1 (permalink)
Whipspeed Forum Regular Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Northamptonshire Posts: 1,282	Nature - Red in tooth and claw (Warning) Saw this in the garden looking into my bay tree and got the camera out. It stayed there for several minutes, just looking, then suddenly a sparrow flew out of the tree at great speed followed by the hawk across the garden. It then sat with on the fence for a while before flying onto our garage roof. At the time, I didn't notice the sparrow in it's grasp as it is a way from the house. When I opened the files and cropped in I saw the bird it had captured. I hope it doesn't offend anyone, but it's not often you get this in a town garden so I was lucky to get the camera out while my husband grabbed a lens for me. I took 104 shots and got 2 decent ones Obviously I find men in lycra easier to capture __________________ Sarah http://www.sarahbrookephotography.co.uk

13-04-2008, 20:30	#2 (permalink)
Sparkymark Quite Chatty Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 57	Re: Nature - Red in tooth and claw (Warning) Great capture, Sarah - nature can seem brutal sometimes, but it's reality. Excellent shot. 100-400?

13-04-2008, 20:31	#3 (permalink)
Larne Been here a while Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Warrington, Cheshire, UK Posts: 420	Re: Nature - Red in tooth and claw (Warning) I think it's a brilliant shot. Birds of Prey are entirely about catching and killing other birds and as such you have captured perfectly the essence of the subject. The expression of the sparrow also perfectly supports the story of the shot. It's also nice and sharp and well posed with 'eye contact' from the Hawk. Would have been better on a nice mossy rock rather than a mossy felt roof but that's neither here nor there. Great pic, well shot.

13-04-2008, 20:37	#4 (permalink)
Whipspeed Forum Regular Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Northamptonshire Posts: 1,282	Re: Nature - Red in tooth and claw (Warning) Thank you both. Yes, the garage roof not as picturesque as the countryside, but at least it's mossy. Mark, yes, it's the 100-400. I had the 70-200 on the camera and as I whizzed upstairs to shoot, my lovely hubby was opening the window and getting the other lens ready for me. What a star!

13-04-2008, 20:45	#5 (permalink)
stepheno Pixalo Crew Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 6,439	Re: Nature - Red in tooth and claw (Warning) Belter

13-04-2008, 20:48	#6 (permalink)
Whipspeed Forum Regular Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Northamptonshire Posts: 1,282	Re: Nature - Red in tooth and claw (Warning) Thank you

13-04-2008, 20:52	#7 (permalink)
AQ Forum Regular Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: West Yorkshire Posts: 932	Re: Nature - Red in tooth and claw (Warning) Great opportunistic shot. Well done That is life and death in nature. I read somewhere that 99.99% of all living things end their lives in somethings else's stomach. Not sure I really wanted to know that but I guess it makes a point. P.S. your garage roof needs fixing

13-04-2008, 20:56	#8 (permalink)
Whipspeed Forum Regular Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Northamptonshire Posts: 1,282	Re: Nature - Red in tooth and claw (Warning) LOL! I'll tell andy.

13-04-2008, 21:14	#9 (permalink)
Ali Forum Regular Join Date: May 2007 Location: Mid Sussex Posts: 953	Re: Nature - Red in tooth and claw (Warning) Although not 'pleasant', it really is an absolute cracker of a shot - right place, right time!

13-04-2008, 22:31	#10 (permalink)
JMitchell Feet under the table Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: London, England Posts: 3,427	Re: Nature - Red in tooth and claw (Warning) Great shot, just wish we had birds that were damned interesting around here

14-04-2008, 06:45	#11 (permalink)
Sloeye New here Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 23	Re: Nature - Red in tooth and claw (Warning) Stunning shot!

14-04-2008, 07:21	#12 (permalink)
P-E Loves the place Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Sheffield, S.Yorkshire UK Posts: 7,414	Re: Nature - Red in tooth and claw (Warning) Cracking shot Sarah.

14-04-2008, 07:49	#13 (permalink)
fionaB Loves the place Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Scotland Posts: 5,326	Re: Nature - Red in tooth and claw (Warning) hey that one out of 104 I would have been pleased with! excellent work fi

14-04-2008, 08:04	#14 (permalink)
Whipspeed Forum Regular Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Northamptonshire Posts: 1,282	Re: Nature - Red in tooth and claw (Warning) Thank you all for the comments. I've got another one I'll load on later. Jack, first interesting bird shot from here. We have hudreds of sparrows and starlings, as the amount of bird food eaten would testify and a couple of Robins. But this just stunned us.

14-04-2008, 09:48	#15 (permalink)
Chilliman Getting Comfy Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Scotland Posts: 150	Re: Nature - Red in tooth and claw (Warning) Perfect capture both by you and the hawk.

14-04-2008, 10:31	#16 (permalink)
AQ Forum Regular Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: West Yorkshire Posts: 932