Byron Hakanson Photography
Brown Goshawk (Accipiter fasciatus) hunting Budgerigars (Melopsittacus undulatus)
As generic as a title like “The Hunt” is, I find it hard to think of a better one that portrays the what I had witnessed over the span of a week with these incredible birds. So a few months ago, you all might have noticed that quite a few photographers were posting photos and videos of the huge flocks of budgies. At the time there were literally tens of thousands of budgies out here in the outback, and it obviously wasn’t just here in Kings Canyon. Budgies are often overlooked, but when you see them in flocks of tens of thousands, it’s hard to not want to take some photos! What I found even harder, was to take a photo that accurately portrayed the “huge flock” scene. The common closeups are often nice, but there’s something incredible, seeing the enormous size of the flocks. I waited till they would fly away from me and circle back, that way I could get a side profile of the whole flock and have them smaller in frame, to adequately capture the sheer size of the group. Now the budgies aren’t the only birds in full swing. Over the week, I watched multiple species of raptors trying to grab a snack - some successful, others not so much. On one morning as I watched the budgies do their usual loop, I noticed a Brown Goshawk chasing them. This was the first time both species were together in an adequate position to make a photo like this possible! With excitement, and shaky arms, I captured the goshawk diving up into the cloud of budgies. Truly an awesome experience, and one that definitely won’t be forgotten!
Canon EOS 5d Mark III
Canon 500mm f4 IS II
#budgies
#browngoshawk
Brown Goshawk (Accipiter fasciatus) hunting Budgerigars (Melopsittacus undulatus)
As generic as a title like “The Hunt” is, I find it hard to think of a better one that portrays the what I had witnessed over the span of a week with these incredible birds. So a few months ago, you all might have noticed that quite a few photographers were posting photos and videos of the huge flocks of budgies. At the time there were literally tens of thousands of budgies out here in the outback, and it obviously wasn’t just here in Kings Canyon. Budgies are often overlooked, but when you see them in flocks of tens of thousands, it’s hard to not want to take some photos! What I found even harder, was to take a photo that accurately portrayed the “huge flock” scene. The common closeups are often nice, but there’s something incredible, seeing the enormous size of the flocks. I waited till they would fly away from me and circle back, that way I could get a side profile of the whole flock and have them smaller in frame, to adequately capture the sheer size of the group. Now the budgies aren’t the only birds in full swing. Over the week, I watched multiple species of raptors trying to grab a snack - some successful, others not so much. On one morning as I watched the budgies do their usual loop, I noticed a Brown Goshawk chasing them. This was the first time both species were together in an adequate position to make a photo like this possible! With excitement, and shaky arms, I captured the goshawk diving up into the cloud of budgies. Truly an awesome experience, and one that definitely won’t be forgotten!
Canon EOS 5d Mark III
Canon 500mm f4 IS II
#budgies
#browngoshawk