red-tail hawk

[rolling56]

I was shooting a neighborhood in Starkville, Mississippi today at 120 meters, and my M3 attracted the attention of a hawk. I quickly dropped down to 35, which was just above the treetops and the hawk moved on to other interests. Anyone have any predator issues from time to time? What are your best suggestions? Thanks!

I usually pack up and go to a different location miles away. Don't want to disturb wildlife habitats.

 

[Rchawks]

I've seen quite a few complaints about seagulls attacking drones, I never had a problem with them flying sailplanes and I'm sure that's due to the size difference.

 

[HeliDog]

I was shooting a neighborhood in Starkville, Mississippi today at 120 meters, and my M3 attracted the attention of a hawk. I quickly dropped down to 35, which was just above the treetops and the hawk moved on to other interests. Anyone have any predator issues from time to time? What are your best suggestions? Thanks!

Yes, I'm down the road from you and have one monster I named Rodan. Bird strike is one of my biggest issues and from other post, at DJI, I pray that DJI care will cover it. An observer and VLOS helps but I will not fly on those crowded sky days. Curious if color or a big fake pair of talons would warn them off..or make them mad?

 

[MS Coast]

I'll try one more time. The video I posted was small black birds. Likely crows. I posted it after a post about Hawks and I I mentioned the hawk behavior over my neighborhood. Unrelated other than they're all birds?

As to hawks hunting together, Google "Hawk Kettle"
View attachment 142019
When hawks do form flocks — called a kettle — it usually is to assist in hunting. They wait for one hawk to find a warm air current, called a thermal, then they all join in, using it to hold them aloft as they soar above and keep an eye out for food below.

Whatever the hawks are in my area they fly together often. So much so, I worry when the cat goes missing.

I was going to remove my post or the crow video, but the thread would have a lot of out of context comments. I'll leave my blunder as a public service announcement. Always use this formula: think -> post, never the inverse.

I think that kettling behavior happens only during migration, when lots of birds gather up along the ridges and areas of good lift along their migration route. It's not a hunting strategy.

I have friends who have seen hundreds of hawks in the mountains in north Georgia, Tennessee, and North Carolina. I'd love to see it, but never have been in the right place at the right time.

 

[MA2 317]

This is not my photo, but I enjoy sharing it from a Spark Pilot that captured it with video and made a composite picture.




Note the 3 axis gimbal of the bird as it's eyes are locked on to the Spark no matter the angle.


.

 

[MS Coast]

This is not my photo, but I enjoy sharing it from a Spark Pilot that captured it with video and made a composite picture.

View attachment 142026


Note the 3 axis gimbal of the bird as it's eyes are locked on to the Spark no matter the angle.


.

Sorry, @bkushner (post #34), you've been outdone. This is now is the most amazing bird photo from a drone I've ever seen. J.J. Krantz did a very nice job shooting the photos and making the composite image.

Looks, like the hawk was in curiosity mode. His talons are stowed away rather than out for an attack or for intimidation.

I appreciate the great bird photos on here all the more for having run through two batteries trying to get some good shots of vultures thermaling placidly in the Florida Panhandle a couple of weeks ago. I got nothing worth showing off.

 

[Rchawks]

I know the feeling. Last week I was flying at my site and I hear geese right above me very low, my drone was right there at the SAME height, but I was facing the wrong direction, by the time I turned it was too late .

 

[EsaT]

I think that kettling behavior happens only during migration, when lots of birds gather up along the ridges and areas of good lift along their migration route. It's not a hunting strategy.

Indeed as rule raptors are anything but flock birds during nesting season.

I know the feeling. Last week I was flying at my site and I hear geese...

Now those birds are big locusts.
Fields above and below this location should be completely green.
But swarms of those overgrown locusts can strip fields from everything green in hours.
Have actually drone photos of those fields (lower one belongs to almost neighbour) from likely almost same day with culprits visible.

Would need more golden eagles and white-tailed eagles to scare those away.
Though those might also try to take bite of drone...

 

[simsurf]

The red-taled Hawks LOVE stalking my smaller drones. Air 2, Mini 2. They don't bother the Autel Evo 2 Pro, Mavic 3 or Fimi X8SE too much. More even match I guess.

They hunt in packs or whatever you call them and come into the park where I fly, and roost in trees all around my drone then talk to each other in low raspy tones that sound pretty threatening. I guess I've watched Alfred Hitchcock's "The Birds" too many times lol.
I tried the "shoot straight up to 400 Ft." and thought I was pretty smart. Then I looked up and about 200 feet above that was a big one soaring right above me and checking me the drone out.


Here is a video I caught a couple of them with the Mini 2 one evening when I was just getting into this last year. As to the Red-tailed Hawks; I wouldn't mess with them:

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Why do people feel the need to harrass wildlife with drones?

 

[hagman23]

I can't see why a swallow would be a threat to a drone. They're insect eaters. They're also excellent fliers and not likely to collide with a drone accidentally. I videoed a flock of several hundred tree swallows last year when they were grouping up to migrate and settling in to their roost for the night. They totally ignored the drone.

I'm very curious about your experience. Did they actually approach the drone? How close did they get?

Barn swallows are fierce protectors of their nests, they’ll chase larger birds like hawks, crows, etc or any “bird” that is a threat to their home.

I’ve had multiple encounters with them, one extreme being on a conservation property I was filming where I had approximately 7-10 of them swarming my drone. Other times I’ve been near bridges and on quite a few real estate shoots that have had an old barn or out building on them.

They’ve never “attacked” my drone, but they have chased and been close enough to affect flights. Just my own personal experiences with them.

 

[370Z2017]

I was shooting a neighborhood in Starkville, Mississippi today at 120 meters, and my M3 attracted the attention of a hawk. I quickly dropped down to 35, which was just above the treetops and the hawk moved on to other interests. Anyone have any predator issues from time to time? What are your best suggestions? Thanks!

Doves and pigeons seem to hate my M3. They swarm around it. They wont go away. I escape them by just climbing higher.

 

[sluther111]

The red-taled Hawks LOVE stalking my smaller drones. Air 2, Mini 2. They don't bother the Autel Evo 2 Pro, Mavic 3 or Fimi X8SE too much. More even match I guess.

They hunt in packs or whatever you call them and come into the park where I fly, and roost in trees all around my drone then talk to each other in low raspy tones that sound pretty threatening. I guess I've watched Alfred Hitchcock's "The Birds" too many times lol.
I tried the "shoot straight up to 400 Ft." and thought I was pretty smart. Then I looked up and about 200 feet above that was a big one soaring right above me and checking me the drone out.


Here is a video I caught a couple of them with the Mini 2 one evening when I was just getting into this last year. As to the Red-tailed Hawks; I wouldn't mess with them:

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Lol, those are crows not red tailed hawks. Even with the back lit view where you can’t see color, you can see the beak is not a hawk beak. But loved the vid anyway.

 

[gregveal]

Actually you are correct. As I looked back on it, those aren't Red-tails that soar over much of this area with huge wingspans. Some smaller bird, perhaps crows,, ravens etc.That said, the Red-tailed Hawks in Raleigh NC absolutely hunt in huge groups, up to over a dozen at a time. I have video of them, though not from the drone. Ibwas surprised to see them hunt this way, and when flying, they get more aggressive if I fly down when they track the drone. So far none have had any "direct" interaction with any of my drones, and I hope that never happens. No winners in that scenario.

If they are flocking, they are more likely buzzards (vultures). It's hard to distinguish from a distance sometimes.

 

[R2rich2]

The red-taled Hawks LOVE stalking my smaller drones. Air 2, Mini 2. They don't bother the Autel Evo 2 Pro, Mavic 3 or Fimi X8SE too much. More even match I guess.

They hunt in packs or whatever you call them and come into the park where I fly, and roost in trees all around my drone then talk to each other in low raspy tones that sound pretty threatening. I guess I've watched Alfred Hitchcock's "The Birds" too many times lol.
I tried the "shoot straight up to 400 Ft." and thought I was pretty smart. Then I looked up and about 200 feet above that was a big one soaring right above me and checking me the drone out.


Here is a video I caught a couple of them with the Mini 2 one evening when I was just getting into this last year. As to the Red-tailed Hawks; I wouldn't mess with them:

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Those were crows

 

[BigAl07]

Ok everyone.... it has been well documented that the picture that originally mentioned hawks was indeed CROWS. That issue has been long since resolved and let's put it to rest

 

[BlairAir]

Those were crows

Read my follow up...

 

[Jackh]

I was shooting a neighborhood in Starkville, Mississippi today at 120 meters, and my M3 attracted the attention of a hawk. I quickly dropped down to 35, which was just above the treetops and the hawk moved on to other interests. Anyone have any predator issues from time to time? What are your best suggestions? Thanks!

Next time go UP, not down. That is the best way to lose them.

 

[Rchawks]

Barn swallows are fierce protectors of their nests, they’ll chase larger birds like hawks, crows, etc or any “bird” that is a threat to their home.

I’ve had multiple encounters with them, one extreme being on a conservation property I was filming where I had approximately 7-10 of them swarming my drone. Other times I’ve been near bridges and on quite a few real estate shoots that have had an old barn or out building on them.

They’ve never “attacked” my drone, but they have chased and been close enough to affect flights. Just my own personal experiences with them.

I use to fly in a friends backyard with barn swallows nearby and man what a pain they are. Aggressive for such a small bird.

 

[Pero0]

eagle attack

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[MS Coast]

eagle attack

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Nice Attack or a close pass? Did he approach the drone more than once?

Where is this? U.S? Thanks for posting it.