A few days ago I was pleased to photograph a Western Kingbird in a flight posture and flight angle that was just a bit unusual.
1/3200, f/6.3, ISO 640, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM, not baited, set up or called in
The female (only the female builds nests) was scanning the ground below for nesting material from this perch. She had apparently spotted a particular twig that interested her so she…
1/4000, f/6.3, ISO 640, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM, not baited, set up or called in
dove down at a steep angle to retrieve it. This is the shot in the four images of the series that pleased me but I thought I’d present the other three for their behavior.
To give her relative position in this shot some perspective notice the tip of the twig she just left in the upper left-hand corner of the frame.
1/3200, f/6.3, ISO 640, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM, not baited, set up or called in
The twig was in the deep grasses that she is about to land in.
1/3200, f/6.3, ISO 640, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM, not baited, set up or called in
When she landed I lost focus on her because of the grasses in front but she’s sharp enough that we can see the puny twig she retrieved. She had apparently spotted that little thing from her elevated perch and knew exactly what she was after. Nests are usually made from both large and small construction materials and this time her stick of choice wasn’t very impressive.
I thought the behavior was interesting and I’m quite happy to have been able to get the second shot in the series.
Ron
Fascinating!
Wonderful series Ron!
Charlotte
All four shot are good, but the second one is especially stunning! I love the detail and colour, not to mention that the bird is obviously busy doing something.
That’s my favorite too, Pierre – by far. Thank you.
A perfectionist and an artist. She refuses to settle for good enough, or ‘it’ll do’. Like a photographer I can think of…
She is pretty picky, EC. I watched her again this morning and she definitely isn’t easy to please.
If we ever wonder how light that bird is all we have to do is look at the fragile looking twig she’s perched on…and, it may even be dry and brittle….
Patty, you’re right – these birds only weigh about 1.4 oz. Both sexes.
Just amazing. And yet we humans continue to think that animals are “dumb” and their behaviors mechanical. Lovely shots and beautifully observed.
Thank you, Deborah.
That bird IS dumb! If she just went on Facebook, or better yet Twitter, and described what she needs, she’d probably get all she wants, and then some, without even lifting a wing!!!
Again I have to laugh because I thought the same thing, Ron, before I read your words. All that work for a puny, tiny, itty bitty piece of a stick!! She’s so pretty & I loved the whole series. Going back up to look at the series again – and chuckle!!
Hope you enjoyed it as much the second time around, Jo Ann!
Great series! She sure has her “eye on the prize” in the first one, has that real “Ah! Ha!” look…then the dive and the pull up, putting on the brakes! Wonderful action shots… That little twig may not have been impressive, but it was just right!
“That little twig may not have been impressive, but it was just right!”
I think she knew exactly what she wanted, Patty – and she found it.
I like all of the shots, but especially the second one. I totally get this bird. I’m the one who can walk the beach and find half-inch sand dollars while stepping over and never seeing three-inch ones…
Susan, this female is consumed by this spot as a source of nest-building materials. It’s right below the nest and again this morning she went to it many times. Other times she flies far off to get her twigs.