Encounter Cooper's Hawk
Click👆🏻About™ : Wetlands, Guemes Island, WA
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Cooper's Hawk
Moment: Common
Weather: Partly Sunny
Crowd: None
Time at Location: 20 Min
Date: 03.01.2025
Observation: Cooper's Hawk hunting in the wetlands.
AI Assistant: Cooper’s hawks are such skilled hunters that their sharp eyesight can detect prey from great distances, and they’ve been known to chase their quarry through thick forests at speeds of up to 50 mph! Their agility in flight is truly remarkable—it's like having a feathered acrobat in the sky.
Capture: This beautiful Cooper's Hawk hunts in our wetlands daily, seeking voles and small birds. When I go out to see if she is around, I usually find her perched on one of the bird houses. Once outside, I always set my camera settings for the lighting conditions. I slowly and quietly approach, focus, click, walk, and repeat. I keep an eye on the hawk, watching to see if it is becoming uncomfortable with my approach. If so, I stop my approach and maintain a respectable distance. Wildlife that is not stressed provides a better result photograph. THE STORY
Note: For optimal results, I try to set the camera at approximately the same height as the wildlife's eyes. Ensure the camera shutter speed is set and ready for bird flight. I try to set it at 1200 if lighting conditions permit. I try not to exceed an ISO of around 1600, but if conditions are not ideal, I will push the ISO.
Equipment: Nikon Z7 II ~ Tamron SP 150-600mm F/5-6.3 Di VC USD G2 👈🏻Amazon
Distance From Subject: 30 Feet
Tripod Used: Monopole 3 Legged Thing 👈🏻Amazon
Setting: Always Manual Mode 1/800s ~ f/8 ~ ISO 640 ~ 200MM
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