Childhood favorites

[JR Martinez]

Birds of prey have always been a favorite of mine ever since I was 4 or 5 years old. Will always remember watching Red Tails circle high above during baseball practice and games... good times.

Anyways, here's four of the most frequently encountered raptors during my winter outings... and sorry if some aren't too good/clear

Northern Harrier
http://i1276.photobucket.com/albums/y461/John_Wanderin/855c4ba2-3984-4e14-812b-cbc265d2dfac_zps85445955.jpg

http://i1276.photobucket.com/albums/y461/John_Wanderin/ca356694-8ee1-4bf3-ba52-8bd8007edfa6_zps07651088.jpg

American Kestrel
http://i1276.photobucket.com/albums/y461/John_Wanderin/3a075d2a-a4c9-4085-9217-dcd7f0378813_zpsbae07d85.jpg

http://i1276.photobucket.com/albums/y461/John_Wanderin/dc04863a-0f8d-4000-acde-d30186b0c616_zps785f43b4.jpg

Red-Tailed Hawk
http://i1276.photobucket.com/albums/y461/John_Wanderin/a62f6f06-9fdc-46ab-8d40-6ded67af3b94_zpsb8f70d21.jpg

http://i1276.photobucket.com/albums/y461/John_Wanderin/b9790075-5111-4593-84ee-c3c93379fe96_zpsda678d74.jpg

Red-Shouldered Hawk
http://i1276.photobucket.com/albums/y461/John_Wanderin/5e148d0e-cd9a-43de-8202-1374661de205_zpsc18ab2d0.jpg

[jbird]

Cool! I love hawks too. kestrels are sooooo hard to approach. The difused sunlight on the redtail perched on the cattle gate is beautiful.

I had to laugh when you described watching soaring hawks at baseball games. "Pop fly! I got it I got it! Ooooooh... hawk! I wonder what kind i... Thwack!" LOL

[JR Martinez]

Kestrel's are definitely hard to get close to though if I had a 300mm it'd probably be close enough but you gotta work your way up from somewhere right? Also I would have loved to have some decent photos of white tailed kite but they too are also difficult to get close to. As for the baseball thing, I've fortunately never been hit by a fly ball or pop up

[Larry S]

Mid Day,
Keep at it.
They're are good and you will surprise yourself at how much better they'll get.
Patience and persistence.
Best,
Larry S