Tuesday, November 24, 2015

Camera from Australia, Kittens and Ugly Nature

Andrew sent me his old camera when he upgraded.  I like it.  Small, heavy, which makes me think its well built (I don't know why), and very easy to use.  The only trouble is a quickly drained battery and then I could not recharge it because it's an Australian type plug in, with slanted contacts.

I will cut off that plug and attach an American type.  I thought I had a plug somewhere, to use, so I could do that tonight, but wouldn't you know, I can't find it.

Ah well, tomorrow then.  Also will order an extra battery.

Here are the first photos I took on the camera.  Two of Tonka and one of Winter.




Now, to the ugly side of nature.

I was coming down under the over pass, near the cop shop and homeless shelter, when  a huge hawk, Red Tail I think, came swooping out of nowhere and plucked an unsuspecting gull from the air.  It was a big bird the hawk took from the sky and the hawk struggled then briefly, losing altitude, before securing his prey and flying back across several railroad tracks to sit atop a utility pole where he began to tear the poor bird apart to eat.

I drove back around several blocks to where I could cross the tracks, then back to sit across from that utility pole.  I had only my phone as camera, but I took video and pictures, as feathers rained down, like snow falling, from the carnage above.

The hawk was very large, far larger than the Coopers hawks that frequent the blocks near me to hunt down anything they can snatch from the air.   Our small town has a lot of hawks currently, and they kill a lot of small birds.

It isn't pretty at all.  In fact, it is gruesome to watch and yet the hawks are mesmerizing in their skill and beauty.



8 comments:

  1. Love that Andrew's camera has arrived. And seems to be working well.
    The hawk? It was hungry too - and eats to live. Efficiently. I doubt that the bird suffered for very long at all.

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    1. No, a frantic but quick death. I was awed by the Red Tail, his or her size. I forget, mainly seeing the smaller hawks, how big the Red Tails really are. Yes, the camera is terrific, way better than I had dared hope.

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  2. Anonymous2:48 AM

    I didn't think the battery was too bad. Though even in early days it let me down once and went from showing fully charged on the screen to a camera shut down in a short time. Is it the screen or the on/off of the lens opening and closing that flattens the battery?

    Yes, natural critter behaviour can be very cruel. We just have to accept that and not interfere when it comes to food. Well, up to a point.

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    1. I took a zillion photos with it, trying out the settings, and also accidentally, when it first came, suppose that's how I took it down, wasn't drained completely. Now I have the charger converter to American, so all is terrific. thank you again Andrew.

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  3. While kayaking this spring, I watched a hawk carry off a full-grown squirrel. As you said, it is gruesome, yet completely mesmerizing to watch.

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    Replies
    1. I know what you mean, beautiful horror.

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  4. Awesome footage. That's great about the camera. You deserve something nice. And there is something about heft to an item that makes it seem better constructed than flimsy, brittle plastic.

    Life can be cruel and ugly, one dying so another flourishes. Sometimes I think a lot of us in modern society are a bit isolated. You, however, are not afraid to get your hands dirty and be in the trenches with the needy. Be well.

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    1. The camera is cool, so small too, fits easily in my purse, which I like, rather than have another bag to carry and so its handy all the time. I wish I could have caught that mid air dance of death on camera. It was quick, but in slow motion in my mind and a beautiful thing despite its tragic outcome on one side.

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