Magpies along with many other birds have been relatively scarce on Antelope Island since the wildfire in July so I was happy to find a group of a half-dozen birds near one of the campgrounds three days ago. And two of them were even somewhat cooperative.
1/3200, f/7.1, ISO 640, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM, not baited, set up or called in
Both were hatch year birds that haven’t completed their molt so they still look a little scruffy, particularly around the head and neck. We can still see pin feathers below the neck of this bird. At this stage they’re not as sleek and attractive as they will be soon but for me that’s no reason to ignore them as photographic subjects. In this shot I like the wing position, hanging feet and clean background.
1/4000, f/6.3, ISO 640, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
Even juveniles show iridescence when you’re lucky enough to get just the right light angle on the bird and I think the curved tail on this youngster enhances that effect. I also enjoy the bicolored background.
We have stormy weather coming in and I’m hoping the front brings some birds with it because the island has seemed very lonely since the fire. A little rain wouldn’t hurt either – at this rate it won’t be long until there’s nothing but dry mudflats surrounding the island.
Ron
How I love your magpies. And our magpies.
Yours appear to be more stylishly dressed than ours (even the scruffy ones) but it appears that the intelligence and the mischief cross continents.
EC, from the photos and videos I’ve seen your Australian Magpies appear to be great birds too.
Yet another Oh WOW (including all those superlatives)! I just love magpies and will soon be living where I can see them regularly again. The whole darn corvid family ROCKS and I love them just as much as raptors. They’re smart in both a corvid way AND a human way. Not only that, but they’re just gorgeous.
One thing that continuously blows me away is how each individual feather is a unique pattern but they all go together to form such outrageously beautiful birds (across the board)! How do they DO that?
I’m right there with you about drowning the politicians intent on destruction in the name of economics. At some point, we (collectively, even the buttheads) must realize that our objective is a healthy place for all of us to live and that we can’t eat, drink or breathe economic development. All the money in the world is useless if we don’t have a place to LIVE! And I’m flummoxed that people don’t GET that. I don’t understand why the bulk of humanity is silent as all this destruction happens.
Laura, at this point I put most politicians in the same pigeonhole as crooks. But I’m also very disappointed in a large segment of the electorate who continue to put those types back into office or elect new ones just like them or worse.
I don’t like getting political on my blog but sometimes politics and environmental issues just can’t be separated.
And I agree with you about the feathers of birds – individually and collectively.
Agreed Ron, but it’s not a partisan thing. It’s more the issue that many humans are just too greedy. The one thing I can’t understand no matter how hard I try is that these folks have children and grandchildren. What kind of world are they leaving and how do they justify their actions on THAT basis?
But this isn’t the place to go there.
With the feather thing, I often stare at the utter outrageousness of each individual feather (I get a whole bunch of them this time of year) and the wonder of it all just astounds me. Granted, I’m easily amused, but this whole feather thing is really something special.
I’ve always been fascinated with Magpies partially because we don’t have them in Southern Ontario. However in my travels to Europe and the Canadian and American Midwest, I have seen how intelligent and beautiful they are. You have captured that well here, Ron.
They’re both intelligent and beautiful, Judy. But some would also throw “annoying” into the mix.
I love the shimmer and sheen of these birds. Nicely captured!
Arwen – not everyone’s a fan of magpies so I’m glad you (and I) are in the other camp. Thanks.
Very nice Magpie shots! I hope you get rain. We sure need it. Our rainy season is over and we’ve had half of our usual annual rainfall and the majority of it was August.
Susan, I’m afraid Dick may be right – this is the new normal.
Scruffy doesn’t bother me either. Nice shots.
Hope you get rain soon. Our weather forecast says that there is rain in Montana and Idaho, any chance some that will get to you?
Lake Champlain in VT is almost 2 feet below normal – been very dry here with long stretches of beautiful sunny, windy, dry weather.
Just like you we need rain! Are we seeing the new normal? Or can we hope that next year will bring back the precipitation.
Dick, all I have to do is look in the mirror to know that I have no problem with scruffy…
Yes, we’re finally forecast to get significant rain today and especially tomorrow (snow down to 8,000′) but knowing the weatherman’s track record for accuracy both days will probably be scorchers!
Snow down to 8,000 feet? Really? Is this early for snow? Our daughter is fighting a fire in Colorado, next to Wyoming border and her camp is at 8000′. That precip. should help to fight the fire, maybe why she is expected to leave on Sat.
I don’t think it’s particularly unusual at that elevation, Dick. Now they’re calling for snow down to 7,000, by Friday morning.
Wonderful shots Ron, thanks for sharing!
Charlotte
Thank you, Charlotte.
These are such beautiful, elegant mischief-makers! Love the crisp contrast of black and white, and like the cheery on top, the wonderful iridescence! Nice backgrounds in both…
Thanks, Patty. “Mischief-makers” is exactly right!
Beautiful! Even if the birds are a bit scruffy. 🙂 We got good rain last night and some Tues. night – we’ll take it! The iridescence with the bicolored background is great. 🙂
Thanks, Judy.
We need buckets of rain – enough to begin to replenish the lake and drown a few politicians who are intent on building more dams on the rivers feeding into the lake – all in name of economic development at the expense of everything else…