A Couple Of Magpie Take-offs

I finally found a few semi-cooperative birds on Antelope Island yesterday morning. Among them were a couple of Black-billed Magpies.

 

black-billed magpie 7078 ron dudley

1/2500, f/6.3, ISO 500, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM, not baited, set up or called in

I found this magpie perched on top of an old magpie nest that I’ve been following for years – perhaps this bird was raised there. It’s a classic magpie nest – a very large domed structure with a nesting chamber inside. I know that it has at least two entrances and this time of year, with all the leaves in the bush that supports it gone, the shape and structure of almost the entire nest is easy to see.

This bird took off almost directly into the sun which gave me some iridescence on the right wing and just enough light on that deeply black photon-trapping face and neck.

 

 

black-billed magpie 6371 ron dudley

1/2000, f/7.1, ISO 640, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in

This is another magpie just after it took off from a branch barely out of frame to the right. The ventral plumage of magpies doesn’t show iridescence but I thought the play of light on most of the black ventral plumage made up for it.

Magpies are early nesters and I found both of these birds in areas on the island with high concentrations of magpie nests but I’m sure that our recent turn of the weather has given pause to any amorous designs these birds may have had during our warm late fall. I saw 11 degrees F. yesterday morning and it’s even colder this morning.

This may be my first morning of shooting wearing long johns…

Ron

Addendum: In response to several inquiries in the comments below I’ve added the following three images of the same nest shown in the first image of this post. All three images were taken in March and April of this year. I include the third image that includes the magpie to show scale.

 

black-billed magpie nest 6145 ron dudley

 

 

black-billed magpie nest 8431 ron dudley

 

 

black-billed magpie nest 6406 ron dudley

 

31 Comments

  1. Just lovely, Ron. You just gotta love corvids…smart, beautiful, sassy, and devious. And they build one heckuva nest. SO miss seeing them every day!

  2. Magpie nests look a lot like my hair….

  3. Many thanks, Ron!! Great images. The nests are BIG! I don’t think I ever glimpsed a baby until it could go out on a limb! There were 5 babies in our nest, so I guess it takes a Magpie Hotel for the family. Thanks for posting these!!

  4. I love the iridescence and the black outlined flight feathers almost equally with these elegant wise guys…certainly now one of my favorite birds….

  5. So graceful, so beautiful. So different to ours.
    Wow, wow and wow. And thank you.

  6. Great pictures, Ron! I love magpies. Next time would you be able and willing to take a picture of the entire nest? We have magpies that nest in our back yard, but they build their wonderful structure in an evergreen with cones, so I can’t really see it. It’s hidden all year long. 🙁

  7. Brrrrr! Stay warm, Professor D. 😀 I love Magpies for their raucous antics. The first one is my favorite.

    • “Professor D” – ha, that’s a new one, Arwen. Here’s another one you might enjoy – some of my students used to call me “Studley Dudley”. And I usually let them get away with it… 🙂

  8. Beautiful photos of a beautiful creature in flight!
    If it is not too hard for you, please give us an update on your beautiful daughter. Perhaps you have, and I missed it – I don’t get to read all the comments people make and your responses.

    • Linda, Shannon continues to improve every day but it’s a slow haul and at this point we don’t know how far she’ll be able to come back. Thus far we are encouraged.

      • Thank you, Ron, for your update on Shannon. My husband and I continue to pray for her. I love the photo of the two of you, and her situation really touches my heart–so glad to hear about some improvement every day.

  9. Absolutely sensational shots Ron!

    Charlotte Norton

  10. Beautiful images Ron. You take the best magpie images I have ever seen! Now, when I see a magpie, I say to myself “get out there and try to get some images like Ron has done “, We have LOS of them on our property, in fact as I type this I see about a 5-6 of them out the window. Funny, how that works… that I am always more interested in “going somewhere” to photograph, when right at home under my nose there are photo ops. The way you capture the iridescence in their feathers, and the artful shape of their tail feathers and wings has eluded me so far. Thanks for the inspiration.

    • What a nice comment, ED. Thank you.

      And yes, I think it’s a tendency of all of us to look elsewhere when we have opportunities right under our noses. There’s a pond about a quarter mile below my house that I haven’t visited for quite a while. Yesterday another photog found a bunch of Snow Geese there!

  11. These are both beautiful shots. I wish you had posted a picture of the nest, as I’ve never seen a Magpie nest. 🙂

  12. Two wonderful Magpie shots, Ron. My favorite is the 1st & it reminds me of the photo you have over your fireplace (with you & your dear Shannon). Such beautiful creatures. I’d also say it was VERY smart to wear long johns with a temp at 11 degrees!!! Better you than me – lol!! I might want our Florida weather to cool of a bit but I’m very happy with lows in the low 60’s and highs in the mid 70’s!!

  13. They are beautiful and their nests incredible even if a pain. The Great Horned Owls will take over one of the nests here which makes them worthwhile. 🙂

  14. Looks like a painting, Ron. Beautiful!

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