Things you see when you don't have a camera.

bschriver11 · 06-09-2021, 06:18 PM - **4 Likes**

Today I was at work on the road picking up some materials and on the return trip a Hawk like I have never seen before glides across the road it front of me and lands in a tree, I couldn't guess what type Hawk it was at first but when it landed I could see the red tail feathers. Now I have seen and photographed many Redtail Hawks but what made this one special was that it was totally white except for the couple red tail feathers, it was a leucistic Red-Tailed Hawk. How I would have liked to get that one!

photoptimist · 06-09-2021, 06:44 PM - **12 Likes**

It's well known that rare and fantastic creatures seek out camera-less humans to taunt. It's a variant of the fact that UFOs target solitary pick-up truck drivers on lonely back roads. Both are adult versions of having siblings that are angels when the parents are near and devils when the parents turn their backs!

Such are the mocking ways of the universe!

**K-Three** · 06-09-2021, 06:44 PM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by bschriver11

Today I was at work on the road picking up some materials and on the return trip a Hawk like I have never seen before glides across the road it front of me and lands in a tree, I couldn't guess what type Hawk it was at first but when it landed I could see the red tail feathers. Now I have seen and photographed many Redtail Hawks but what made this one special was that it was totally white except for the couple red tail feathers, it was a leucistic Red-Tailed Hawk. How I would have liked to get that one!

Feel your pain, I got tired of that too, tried having a P&S with me for a while, and a phone is even worse, If it's worth doing, it's worth doing right!
I carry a kit with body, 18-135, 55-300 and a small prime or two, all in a small Domke bag with me most places.

Some days its just for the exercise, but it's nice to know you have it, and sometimes, if I have time to kill, or need to take a break from real life, it's nice to just stop and try to make a picture or two.

dlhawes · 06-10-2021, 03:09 AM - **1 Like**

And, even when you've got your camera, there's no place to pull over so as to get out and take the picture.

**Cerebum** · 06-10-2021, 04:37 AM - **1 Like**

I saw three old men with a step ladder and a mop, trying to clean a speed limit sign. It was like a scene from buster Keaton and all I had was my infrared,..... So I took it anyway! OK, so their faces are blue, ... Its still one of my favourites

**gump** · 06-10-2021, 04:43 AM - **1 Like**

As dlhaws said even if you have your camera. We were on a backroad in Wind Cave NP, South Dakota and a Pronghorn was "rooting" in the wildflowers by the side of the road. We surprised him/her and when his/her head raised it was draped with wildflowers. The k70 was inches from my hand but by the time I reacted the Pronghorn was leisurely moving away (leisure for a Pronghorn is 30MPH). Such is life.

**ehrwien** · 06-10-2021, 05:38 AM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by gump

As dlhaws said even if you have your camera. We were on a backroad in Wind Cave NP, South Dakota and a Pronghorn was "rooting" in the wildflowers by the side of the road. We surprised him/her and when his/her head raised it was draped with wildflowers. The k70 was inches from my hand but by the time I reacted the Pronghorn was leisurely moving away (leisure for a Pronghorn is 30MPH). Such is life.

An hour ago I had some minutes to kill, so I walked through a Schrebergarten (allotment / community garden), camera in a messenger bag, looking for inspiration. And wouldn't you know it, a few meters away from me a (presumably) falcon took off into the sky. I immediately went for the camera in my bag, and by the time I had it out and ready (luckily the 55-300 PLM was on it already), all I could see of the bird was its shadow circling around me and when I tried to spot it in the sky, all I got was blinded by the midday sun

By the time I could spot it in the sky again it was already quite far away

Lord Lucan · 06-10-2021, 06:13 AM

Originally posted by bschriver11

Hawk like I have never seen before glides across the road it front of me

Dashcam?

**pacerr** · 06-10-2021, 09:20 AM - **2 Likes**

I've missed shots of a Bigfoot family twice . . . oh, an' three unicorns -- one with a colt.

35mmfilmfan · 06-10-2021, 02:44 PM

Originally posted by pacerr

I've missed shots of a Bigfoot family twice . . . oh, an' three unicorns -- one with a colt.

Me too, but I have better luck with Dragons. Just toss 'em a Canikon user to incinerate, and they're happy as a cat with a cream-filled canary.

**SelrahCharleS** · 06-10-2021, 04:46 PM

I seem to always see unusual butterflies/insects/birds when I'm out without a camera. Sometimes I can snap a blurry photo with my phone for later identification, but its not the same.

**Sakura** · 06-11-2021, 01:06 PM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by Lord Lucan

Dashcam?

Still trying to find a dashcam with a 400 mm lens

**Lowell Goudge** · 06-12-2021, 03:51 AM - **1 Like**

For me, it seems the birds know the focal length I am using. My best red tailed hawk shot is with a 28-108 mm lens. I have yet to match this with my da560

Lord Lucan · 06-12-2021, 04:33 AM

Originally posted by Sakura

Still trying to find a dashcam with a 400 mm lens

About 10 years ago, driving through a remote forest in North Wales, at dusk, just as a thundestorm was about to start and the air was "electric", a disoriented owl struck my car windscreen with a thud . I hope he was OK. Didn't have a dashcam back then, but it would have needed a fisheye lens to get all the action. There followed one of the worst storms I have ever been in - took refuge in the Royal Goat Hotel, Beddgelert

**K2 to K50** · 06-15-2021, 06:51 AM - **1 Like**

Way way back in the 1970s - I cannot remember whether i had my K2 or my ME, ready in hand, looking for birds or butterflys. Early morning. Misty. I crossed the road from my house to the bush on the other side. My dog, and my neighbour's dog, followed me. My dog was perhaps just under a metre tall, my neighbour's dog was a dachsund - eight inches high if that. I was standing amongst the trees, the early morning sun rays shining through the trees and mist. The two dogs, side by side, started walking away from me.
PIcture it: these two dogs, such contrasting sizes, side by side, tails high, walking away through the trees in the early morning mist, sunrays shining through the trees and mist. I watched, entranced. And did not lift my camera!!!!!! I have missed not taking that shot for the last 40+ years!!!

06-09-2021, 06:18 PM - 4 Likes	#1
bschriver11 Pentaxian Join Date: May 2008 Location: Maryland Photos: Gallery Posts: 558	Things you see when you don't have a camera. Today I was at work on the road picking up some materials and on the return trip a Hawk like I have never seen before glides across the road it front of me and lands in a tree, I couldn't guess what type Hawk it was at first but when it landed I could see the red tail feathers. Now I have seen and photographed many Redtail Hawks but what made this one special was that it was totally white except for the couple red tail feathers, it was a leucistic Red-Tailed Hawk. How I would have liked to get that one!

06-09-2021, 06:44 PM - 12 Likes	#2
photoptimist Pentaxian Join Date: Jul 2016 Photos: Albums Posts: 5,126	It's well known that rare and fantastic creatures seek out camera-less humans to taunt. It's a variant of the fact that UFOs target solitary pick-up truck drivers on lonely back roads. Both are adult versions of having siblings that are angels when the parents are near and devils when the parents turn their backs! Such are the mocking ways of the universe! Last edited by photoptimist; 06-10-2021 at 05:28 AM. Reason: typo

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06-09-2021, 06:44 PM - 1 Like	#3
K-Three Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: May 2014 Location: Pugetopolis, WA Photos: Gallery Posts: 938	Originally posted by bschriver11 Today I was at work on the road picking up some materials and on the return trip a Hawk like I have never seen before glides across the road it front of me and lands in a tree, I couldn't guess what type Hawk it was at first but when it landed I could see the red tail feathers. Now I have seen and photographed many Redtail Hawks but what made this one special was that it was totally white except for the couple red tail feathers, it was a leucistic Red-Tailed Hawk. How I would have liked to get that one! Feel your pain, I got tired of that too, tried having a P&S with me for a while, and a phone is even worse, If it's worth doing, it's worth doing right! I carry a kit with body, 18-135, 55-300 and a small prime or two, all in a small Domke bag with me most places. Some days its just for the exercise, but it's nice to know you have it, and sometimes, if I have time to kill, or need to take a break from real life, it's nice to just stop and try to make a picture or two.

06-10-2021, 03:09 AM - 1 Like	#4
dlhawes Guest	And, even when you've got your camera, there's no place to pull over so as to get out and take the picture.

06-10-2021, 04:37 AM - 1 Like	#5
Cerebum Site Supporter Join Date: Oct 2017 Location: Lancaster Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,828	I saw three old men with a step ladder and a mop, trying to clean a speed limit sign. It was like a scene from buster Keaton and all I had was my infrared,..... So I took it anyway! OK, so their faces are blue, ... Its still one of my favourites

06-10-2021, 04:43 AM - 1 Like	#6
gump Site Supporter Join Date: Apr 2018 Location: Canton, Ohio Posts: 1,016	As dlhaws said even if you have your camera. We were on a backroad in Wind Cave NP, South Dakota and a Pronghorn was "rooting" in the wildflowers by the side of the road. We surprised him/her and when his/her head raised it was draped with wildflowers. The k70 was inches from my hand but by the time I reacted the Pronghorn was leisurely moving away (leisure for a Pronghorn is 30MPH). Such is life.

06-10-2021, 05:38 AM - 1 Like	#7
ehrwien Site Supporter Join Date: May 2016 Posts: 2,782	Originally posted by gump As dlhaws said even if you have your camera. We were on a backroad in Wind Cave NP, South Dakota and a Pronghorn was "rooting" in the wildflowers by the side of the road. We surprised him/her and when his/her head raised it was draped with wildflowers. The k70 was inches from my hand but by the time I reacted the Pronghorn was leisurely moving away (leisure for a Pronghorn is 30MPH). Such is life. An hour ago I had some minutes to kill, so I walked through a Schrebergarten (allotment / community garden), camera in a messenger bag, looking for inspiration. And wouldn't you know it, a few meters away from me a (presumably) falcon took off into the sky. I immediately went for the camera in my bag, and by the time I had it out and ready (luckily the 55-300 PLM was on it already), all I could see of the bird was its shadow circling around me and when I tried to spot it in the sky, all I got was blinded by the midday sun By the time I could spot it in the sky again it was already quite far away

06-10-2021, 06:13 AM	#8
Lord Lucan Pentaxian Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: South Wales Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,963	Originally posted by bschriver11 Hawk like I have never seen before glides across the road it front of me Dashcam?

06-10-2021, 09:20 AM - 2 Likes	#9
pacerr Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Paris, TN Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,349	I've missed shots of a Bigfoot family twice . . . oh, an' three unicorns -- one with a colt.

06-10-2021, 02:44 PM	#10
35mmfilmfan Pentaxian Join Date: Oct 2016 Location: Norfolk, UK Posts: 4,329	Originally posted by pacerr I've missed shots of a Bigfoot family twice . . . oh, an' three unicorns -- one with a colt. Me too, but I have better luck with Dragons. Just toss 'em a Canikon user to incinerate, and they're happy as a cat with a cream-filled canary.

06-10-2021, 04:46 PM	#11
SelrahCharleS Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Wisconsin, USA Posts: 935	I seem to always see unusual butterflies/insects/birds when I'm out without a camera. Sometimes I can snap a blurry photo with my phone for later identification, but its not the same.

06-11-2021, 01:06 PM - 1 Like	#12
Sakura Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Netherlands Photos: Gallery Posts: 438	Originally posted by Lord Lucan Dashcam? Still trying to find a dashcam with a 400 mm lens

06-12-2021, 03:51 AM - 1 Like	#13
Lowell Goudge Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Toronto Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 17,888	For me, it seems the birds know the focal length I am using. My best red tailed hawk shot is with a 28-108 mm lens. I have yet to match this with my da560

06-12-2021, 04:33 AM	#14
Lord Lucan Pentaxian Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: South Wales Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,963	Originally posted by Sakura Still trying to find a dashcam with a 400 mm lens About 10 years ago, driving through a remote forest in North Wales, at dusk, just as a thundestorm was about to start and the air was "electric", a disoriented owl struck my car windscreen with a thud . I hope he was OK. Didn't have a dashcam back then, but it would have needed a fisheye lens to get all the action. There followed one of the worst storms I have ever been in - took refuge in the Royal Goat Hotel, Beddgelert

06-15-2021, 06:51 AM - 1 Like	#15
K2 to K50 Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2019 Location: Ipswich QLD Australia Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 4,794	Way way back in the 1970s - I cannot remember whether i had my K2 or my ME, ready in hand, looking for birds or butterflys. Early morning. Misty. I crossed the road from my house to the bush on the other side. My dog, and my neighbour's dog, followed me. My dog was perhaps just under a metre tall, my neighbour's dog was a dachsund - eight inches high if that. I was standing amongst the trees, the early morning sun rays shining through the trees and mist. The two dogs, side by side, started walking away from me. PIcture it: these two dogs, such contrasting sizes, side by side, tails high, walking away through the trees in the early morning mist, sunrays shining through the trees and mist. I watched, entranced. And did not lift my camera!!!!!! I have missed not taking that shot for the last 40+ years!!!