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Thursday, October 29, 2009

Into the Tempest, Into the Night

Last month I drove to a state park that is a few miles from my house and started walking on one of the trails. I ended up off of the trail and in the woods. After losing track of time I realized that there was a storm brewing and it was starting to get late. Instead of going back the same rough way, I gambled by circling around. The weather grew worse, the light was fading and I was getting worried about my camera as I heard the thunder in the distance. Just as I was about to put the camera into it's bag I heard the sound of very large wings fluttering next to me. With out giving it much thought I whipped around and snapped a picture of this raptor as it flew from it's perch.

I'm happy to say that I made to the car before it started raining, and by the time I got home it was pouring.

To see other Skywatch Friday pictures please click here.

83 comments:

  1. James James James...this has to be one of my favorite photos of yours that I have seen to date. I love this. TBK is just in awe :)

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  2. w0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0w w0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0w
    w0o0o0o00o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0w It is awesome man, I'm gonna use it as my desktop image
    I wish I could take some photo like this

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  3. Wow!
    That's all I can say.
    Sunny :)

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  4. Excellent, James. Good to go with the B&W as the focus then is squarely on the raptor in its environment. An exciting composition. I am envious.

    Brava!

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  5. This photo screams 'Edgar Allen Poe' or else was part of the opening scene of that low-budget, but very successful and now cult film made in Pennsylvania, The Night of the Living Dead. That one still scares me....to death.

    Great photo!!!

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  6. A gerat shot and a scary situation, which seems to come through in the photo. Appropriate for Halloween week.

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  7. I was thinking you made it for Halloween, but no.. Halloween made it for you! Starting a storm, just before the night, you were alone and lost..(A kind of David Vincent story..Ü)
    Both picture and story behind are great. I'm glad to know you could join the car before the rain.

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  8. Interesting time spent. Nice to know that both you n your camera were both back safe and dry! :-) This is a nice shot in the short time that was available to you!

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  9. Great shot James. LOL glad you got back to your car in time. =)

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  10. It was for sure a kind of adventure!
    Wonderful shot James!
    Léia :)

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  11. I'm enraptured by your wonderful photo of the raptor! Great title, too!

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  12. An excellent start for a scenario...

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  13. You thought the "rapture" was coming and snapped a photo! ;-)

    And a dramatic photo it is!

    Glad you made it home safe and dry!

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  14. A really dark sky and a picture full of emotions ...
    Magnificent!

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  15. James James James! That is so good! You found yourself a great perch to capture that shot! Love it!

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  16. Fantastic and awesome capture!

    Have a great weekend.

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  17. What a fabulous shot James! It's amazing.

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  18. I can only echo all that the others have written! Utterly gorgeous, fantastic capture, James!! Perfect for the Halloween weekend, that's for sure! Thanks as always for stopping by, your comments are always appreciated!

    Enjoy your weekend!

    Sylvia

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  19. Very lovely horror feeling in this one. The darkness and the bird is so powerful.

    I think I have a reflection for saturday this week.

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  20. just in time for halloween.

    hope your weekend is ghoulishly good.

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  21. That's a fantastic shot. So mysterious and beautiful.

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  22. ooooh good Halloween sky that is quite a nice shot

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  23. Spectacular picture, and a great story. What an adventure.

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  24. Great Storm Clouds..and my favorite subject..the Hawk in the sky.


    Eaglesbrother

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  25. Okay, I will say all that again, and more!!! This image is simply incredible!! I sure hope it is on a wall somewhere!!!

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  26. James, excellent! Wow says it all.

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  27. Great shot James, love the brooding sky behind it too. Thanks for sharing:)

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  28. Stunning shot, great action and moment, the bird is the cherry on the pie in this picture, done a great job, well done!!!

    Have a nice SWF.

    Eric, Holland

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  29. What a magnificent image, wow.

    All the best
    Guy
    Regina In Pictures

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  30. Great photo, you never know when those moments will sneak up on you, thanks for sharing with Sky Watch Friday and good thing the camera stayed dry.

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  31. How appropriate for the season.

    Your description of how the photo came about adds to the atmosphere of it.

    Lucy

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  32. A fantastic photo and a great story to go with it!

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  33. Beautiful! Thank you for sharing!

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  34. Fantastic sky image, it would look great on a mystery book jacket!

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  35. I can see clearly that a bird flies in a cloud moving intensely, just a morment.
    The working of the Nature impresses me.

    Thank you.

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  36. Marvelous shot and kewl story of your adventure ;-)
    Hugs and blessings,

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  37. Wow oh my goodness how beautiful that is and you captured the bird right on your photo. Fantastic.
    Thank you for visiting

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  38. Fantastic shot James! And it portrays perfectly the threatening storm and the ruggedness of the terrain that you've described.
    Janice.

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  39. Hi, this is awesome!!!!! I love it!

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  40. I love it! What a mood it depicts!

    I hope you are feeling better!


    My SWF

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  41. And we are the lucky recipients of the wonderful photo you captured of the raptor. Amazing shot, James.

    Take care of that, that holds you up.

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  42. Speechless! Great photo, nice personal story and 'making of' on the side.

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  43. This one is perfect for Monochrome. I really like the sky in this one.

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  44. What a COOL photo! Well done James. And I am happy to hear you made it back to car before the rain started.

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  45. It can't be better than this. The movement of the clouds and the hawk is amazing!
    Joyce M

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  46. I would love this eerie skies on the 31st! Very spooky!

    You captured it well!

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  47. what a drama! nice shot you got! happy skywatching!

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  48. We've certainly had a whirlwind of different weather these last few weeks! Amazing photo!
    ~Maria

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  49. A shot in a million James....a shot in a million!

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  50. Great capture! Glad you did not get wash out.

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  51. This majestic image takes my breath away. What a fantastic moment that you will never forget and have the image to back up your memory :-)

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  52. Sometimes unexpected turns into magic. This is in fact very unique and mysterious photo. Glad you made it okay to the car. I always keep plastic bag in my pocket just in case. Anna :)

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  53. Fantastic........open sky & the eagles wide spread wings.....what a feel!!!
    Thanks for your comment & suggestion.

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  54. I love the black/white colors
    its very special James
    Fantastic shot !!
    :)

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  55. This is a great photo.. glad you made it back.

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  56. Love the story you told about your adventure on the trails. And the accompanying photo makes us feel as if we were there. Wow! 72 comments on Sky Watch. How do you do it!!!????

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  57. Simply an awesome photo James, One of the best I have ever seen...

    Great Job!

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  58. this is an amazing photo, beautifully composed and atmospheric, gorgeous....

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  59. An awesome silhouette! What a sky!

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  60. Amazing shot. When I first saw it I thought I was looking downward toward swirling water. Absolutely lovely. Thank you for sharing and for visiting my blog. And thank you for getting back safely from your hike.

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  61. WOW! Amazingly creepy scene, wonderfully captured!

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  62. That is an awesome shot. Really beautiful picture. I'm glad you didn't get wet!

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  63. This is my favourite photo for Skywatch so far. I simply love it. The colours are so catching (even there are not many of them:-) and the clouds are formed in so weird shapes. Wonderful.

    Which area are you going to stay in Czech Republic? Well, I can predict the temperatures about 5°C here in Czech Republic next month. But if you go to stay somewhere in the mountains, bring some very warm clothes with you:-)

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  64. Your photo is wonderful and got a sound out of me when I saw it.
    Spirithelpers

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  65. Wow, that's really something. Frameable, to say the least. What a photo!

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  66. this is a great Halloween picture! Reminds me of the movie the birds!

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  67. Superb!

    Good Sunday

    (j translator just put on my blog)

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  68. I like this Skywatch photo. Nice composition and contrasts!

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