The Chase

Congratulations! This is the Image of the Week selection for the Birds Gallery, week ending 31st December, 2010!I was out at Montrose beach this morning in Chicago and as I was walking back to my car, I noticed this rabbit that clearly had something wrong with it as it was listing to one side and could only run in tight circles. I put my 600mm lens, Mk3, and tripod in the car and walked over to see what the deal was. The rabbit ran when I was about 3 feet away and slid under the fence. I decided to let in be and walked back around to my car. When I turned back to look, this Cooper's Hawk swooped in a started attacking the rabbit. It made several runs at it and fortunately I had my 50D with my new 70-200mm f/2.8 II with me and I walked right up to the action and started shooting. I have about 7 good shots, so I thought I would post at least one. I liked this because the rabbit is in mid-air and snow is flying.

Canon 50 D
Canon 70-200mm f/2.8 IS USM II
ISO 320, 1/4000th@f/4, AvMode, Eval 0 comp
9:35am, 22 degrees
LR 3.3, PSE9: Crop, adj shadows, sharpen, cloned out branch

Stunning action and brilliant timing and framing.

Wow, terrific action shot Brian!

Such great interaction here Bryan

Great behavior captured. Interesting that the hawk goes after an animal the size of a rabbit, even if injured.

Bryan
This is fantastic. What an incredible image......it says it all.

Wow! Really cool Bryan!

Fantastic, "once in a lifetime" action captured her beautifully, Bryan.

Karl Egressy wrote:Fantastic, "once in a lifetime" action captured her beautifully, Bryan.

Very Nice, Both are Sharp, well done...

This shot is a winner. Congrats...you have a captured a real rarity.

Amazing! Way to be prepared and capitalize.
I love that the rabbit is running out of room to run on the left hand side, that aspect of subject placement enhances the tension.
Just my opinion, but this image should be automatic for (image of the week).

Fantastic shot, Bryan!

Bravo!

Superb.

SCmzd wrote:Amazing!
Just my opinion, but this image should be automatic for (image of the week).

Your definitely entitled to your opinion, but even before you have seen what the rest of the week has to offer?



Bryan--
A very opportune capture of behavior on this one. I might crop in on the action some if it were mine and I had the pixels. The rabbit looks very well fed. Mobility problems sometimes indicates poison. So did he become lunch??

Paul

The shot of a lifetime! Great sharpness in both animals. Well done!
Gail

pleverington wrote: Bryan--
A very opportune capture of behavior on this one. I might crop in on the action some if it were mine and I had the pixels. The rabbit looks very well fed. Mobility problems sometimes indicates poison. So did he become lunch??

Paul

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Thanks Paul,
The hawk never could figure out how to grab the rabbit (I assume Cooper's don't make it a habit to eat adult rabbits). In the process, he attracted a nice flock of crows as an audience. In the end the rabbit was still hunkered down next to the base of a bush with the hawk about 10 feet above him and a half dozen crows perched above that. So, I am sure in the end one or several birds had a feast. Hopefully it was not poison and was something natural.

Man one of the images of the year 2010 for me...

Killer!!!!!

TERRIFIC SHOT!!!!!
Bruno De Faveri
www.wildcolourseyes.com

WOW. Superb moment captured.