Birds All March on the Battlefield 4

Predator Becomes the Prey; Sort of.

Eyes open, scanning the terrain… THERE HE IS!  Wait, where’s my weapon?! BLAM! BLAM! BLAM!
In this post I’m hoping to give you a couple of tips and a little perspective. The shots that I’m posting today are from two separate days on the Gettysburg National Military Park (GNMP) Battlefield.

Many times, as I’m driving through the GNMP, I’ll have my camera at the ready; correct lens on, appropriate ISO setting, widest possible aperture (to yield quickest possible shutter speed, because I’m set at Aperture Priority), spot metering (so I can get good lighting for the bird/animal, instead of the whole background), auto focus, high speed shutter, and don’t forget to remove the lens cap. I’ll also have my camera in my lap, at times.

I’m always scanning, not just looking for birds/animals, but also for interesting landscapes. However, this particular day, I was looking more specifically for birds, due to this project that I’ve taken on…and because I said I would try to do eight posts this month; still not sure how that’s going to turn out, since I’m a bit behind. When I’m looking for birds, I’m looking everywhere. Seriously, my eyes are scanning all horizon lines, tree lines, tree tops, fence posts, fence rails, monuments… You just never know when you’re going to spot something; however, if you’re not looking, you’re not going to find anything.

It took flight before I could sight him while
still on the rock.

So, as I’m coming around a small bend in the road, the ground dipped off to my left, down into one of the fields that were used in Pickett’s Charge. I’m not going fast, but when I spot the Hawk on the large rock in the field, it takes me a few seconds to stop the car and back up just a little. At this point, I don’t have my camera in my lap, so I have to reach to the passenger seat to grab it. Now, as I turn, I am shooting back over my left shoulder, out my driver’s side window.

Couldn't get him in my sights quick enough,
so got a few blurry shots.

As I put the camera to my eye, to try and sight in the Hawk, it takes to flight; No time to get a good bead on him, so…BLAM! BLAM! BLAM! BLAM!

This is where I thank my dad for taking us (my two brothers and me) to the range and teaching us how to shoot. One of the biggest things is to keep the camera moving with the subject and follow through, even after you squeeze the trigger. The first several rounds were behind him, as seen in the photos above, but as I continue to fire, I also continue to sweep the camera and get the Hawk in the middle of my sights…BLAM! BLAM! BLAM! Dead on! Another trophy for the wall.

Keep panning and keep squeezing the trigger.

Mind you, I was shooting at this Hawk from 75 yards away. The initial, blurred, shots give you an idea of how far away; although, I was racked out (highest focal length I could get) at 280mm. Because I was finally able to get a clear shot, with a solid shutter speed (1/400) and a low ISO (320), I was then able to crop into the original photo pretty well and still have a relatively sharp image.

A couple of days later, I spotted another Hawk sitting on a fence post where Wheatfield Road crosses Steinwehr Avenue. I actually had to turn off of Steinwehr to get to where the Hawk was; however, as I was trying to get my camera ready, it flew to a fence post on Steinwehr Avenue, which now meant that I was going to have to turn around and head back where I had originally come from…The Hunt Was On!

I was actually focusing and slowly backing up
my car, in order to frame the Hawk in the tree.

I turned around and pulled off the road as best as I could, trying to get close without startling my prey. The Hawk was very calm, even with all of the cars and trucks cruising by, which I have found is not that uncommon (I do wonder how many people are oblivious to these marvelous creatures just sitting along the road, as they hurry from here to there).

The Stare Down
Just prior to it taking flight to the fence rail.

I was able to get the shots on the fence post, prior to the Hawk flying across the road (now on my side of the road) and landing on a fence rail.

Now the trick was to lean across the car, across the passenger seat, and lean the camera out the passenger side window, to get a few more shots. The camera is pretty heavy (well, the lens is heavy) and I tried to keep the camera focused on the Hawk, in anticipation of it taking flight. I didn’t get a flight shot here, but did get a nice profile shot. Because I was only 20-25 feet away (as compared to the 75 yards for the other day), I was able to crop in for this head shot and maintain nice detail.

The Hawk then took flight again, to the right/rear of where I was facing, and landed on top of a monument; 68^th Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment, on Wheatfield Avenue. Since I could see where he landed, I now had to turn around again and turn onto Wheatfield Avenue. The Hawk seemed relatively content where it was, because it sat on this monument for several minutes as I kept my camera aimed at it. I’m now shooting back over my left shoulder, in order to get a better angle.

By this time, my shoulders are getting a bit tense from holding the camera steady in some awkward positions. I wasn’t getting anything overly impressive, so I decided to go for a shot of the talons.

Eventually, it took flight again, yielding this expanded wing shot, but I wasn’t 100% sure where it had gone. I knew the general direction, so I continued to track it.

I did spot the Hawk. This time it was on top of an even taller monument; 120^th N.Y. Infantry Regiment, on Sickles Avenue. The Hawk was now perched 25 feet in the air. Shortly after I got out of my car, the Hawk took flight, but landed in the field below the monument. It appeared as though it may have found dinner, but came up empty handed. Here again, I tried to get shots as it took flight out of the field, and continued to shoot as it returned to its comfortable perch. In panning with the Hawk, and continuing to shoot, I was able to get this shot of the landing gear deployed and inches away from touchdown.

Be prepared. Be diligent. Be persistent. Be Patient.

Enjoy.