This darn bird was having fun at my expense for most of my morning in the mountains yesterday.
1/640, f/6.3, ISO 800, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
In the hour and 15 minutes I spent at this spot the catbird nearly allowed me decent shots about a dozen times but each time “he” had leaves or twigs in front of him or he had his back to me or he took off a nanosecond before I clicked my shutter. It was maddening.
Then wouldn’t you know – as soon as the sun buried itself in thick clouds for a few minutes he came out into the open and just stood there staring at me, almost daring me to take his picture in the poor light. So dammit, I did. In fact I took 48 of them while he was on this branch. This shot is about as sharp as I got in the low light with such a slow shutter speed and at this long focal length.
1/3200, f/6.3, ISO 800, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
The second the sun came out again he went back into the bushes. He was a black-hearted soul.
I think you have to study this shot a little to appreciate it. Notice that the catbird isn’t perched. Instead he’s hurtling through the air with his wings completely closed and his feet not touching anything. When the bird took off from a spot where he was mostly hidden he had to thread the needle with his body in order to get out of the thicket. If he had opened his wings at this point they’d have only hit obstructions.
I don’t think it’s a great shot but the unconventional takeoff amuses me. Besides, if Trump can have his tanks on the National Mall on the Fourth of July I figure I can post a novelty shot on the same holiday.
Convoluted logic I know but it works for me.
Ron
Without question they play with us. Skilfully. Because they can. Love that flash of russet. And am awed at the threading the needle skill (these days I have to make several attempts at that task with my fundament planted on a chair and no branches or other obstacles in front ot me).
I think many of us have similar problems “these days”, EC. Thanks.
😂
Nice flight freeze, Ron! Typical behavior of those catbirds. I always try and rarely succeed to include a shot of the russet under-tail feathers along with its face looking back with the eye catching the light. Nooooo! They have left us for the summer but I hope I get another chance in the fall.
Thanks for pointing out those russet feathers beneath the base of the tail in that last shot, Ken. I meant to mention them in my text and just forgot.
This is way better than tanks! I swear that animals know and delight in stymying us. 😈 I watched what I think was a fledgling or young juvenile RT practicing with air currents the other day. I watched for a good 5-10 minutes. I run in to get my phone to snap a couple and poof, he’s gone in 30 seconds. smh At least I got some good shots of the feral hive activity next to my driveway. The bees don’t seem to be leaving anytime soon, fortunately. 🐝
Wishing everyone a happy and quiet 4th.
Good news about your bees, Marty – it’s the bee’s knees. These days we need all the bees we can get.
Catbirds are very hip to humans, and enjoy messing with us. On top of the normal avian arrogance, they have Olympic impertinence. I miss them.
Messing with me seems to be their specialty.
LOL! Love it!
Charlotte
Good. Thanks, Charlotte.
Beautiful shots, Ron! During spring migration I can have as many as 6 Catbirds in the yard at once. They love the grape jelly and orange halves I put out for the Orioles. A month later, I’m down to just one breeding pair who nest in my thickets. Delightful little birds- until the squirrels try to approach the jelly!
I’d love to have a pair nesting in my yard, Diane. Then if I camped out there 24/7 I might find one in a cooperative mood for a few seconds sometime during nesting season.
Great shot, Ron. I noted the Catbird was in flight immediately and so kudos to you for your persistence! Happy Fourth and thank you for the reference to DC and the fiasco on the Mall. I am still giggling!
Thank you, Melanie. Couldn’t resist but what I said was only the tippy-top of the iceberg…
Happy 4th!! Love the shots. Especially the one where he’s just suspended in air. Thanks.
Thank you, Joanne.
Amazing capture getting him ‘suspended’. They are coy to say the least…you can spend as sorts of time with them and you just get the feeling that they are toying with you at their personal pleasure. The agility of birds never ceases to amaze me…seeing a GreatBlue maneuver it’s way through the branches of a forest leaves me in awe. Don’t know whats happened to my postings for the past few days…they did not seem to reach your blog…I did have to use my cell as I was away from my computer so perhaps that is the reason. On a side note…tanks on the national mall? Seems to me like the man is emulating the little men of other countries…just my personal opinion.
“toying with you at their personal pleasure”
That’s EXACTLY what he was doing with me, Kathy!
Whatever the reason for your “absence” it’s nice to have you back.
Black-hearted soul threading the needle in novelty fashion showing off its independence from gravity bound critters.
Love the bluish gray colors of this tormenting bird.
Let’s keep the independence in Independence Day, I’ll take mine free from tanks and other such baloney.
Cheers to all!
I much prefer mine that way too, Dave.
Thanks for providing an interesting–and innocent–alternative to tanks and ballistics this AM—wow–that “threading the needle” maneuver is impressive ! Without your
speedy shutter and great patience we’d never have been able to see it !
I do think I’m getting a little better in the patience arena, Kris. This morning I spent two hours and 20 minutes in the same spot but never got the shot I was after. Nothing else any good either. The life of a bird photographer…
That first shot looks pretty sharp all things considered, and actually a very attractive bird. The second shot is very interesting. I think if I was in a rush or just preoccupied while viewing I might have missed the fact that he is not perched. Would be real easy to miss that.
Happy 4th to all.
I think so too, Everett – which is why I said the photo should be studied so it can be appreciated for what it is (and isn’t).
Ron, after seeing many, many hundreds of great shots from you, I love that you’ve shared a couple of photos that are slightly imperfect and the frustration that most of us experience more often than not . It makes you seem more human and me feel better about all the ones “that got away.” I so enjoy your blog each day!
Believe me, Nancy – I could post photos that are “slightly imperfect” every day for several millennia!
It works! 😉 Guessing when cloudy the bird felt more protected. One has to look closely at the 2nd shot to realize he’s “threading the needle”. 🙂 A glorious 4th to all remembering the cost for us to be able to celebrate Independence Day. Not even watching DC today…..
Thanks, Judy. I won’t be watching it either.
I find the first image sharp. The second photo shows him adroitly maneuvering through his environment. A sleek bird and pleasing to look at.
Of course, none of the above descriptors remotely apply to the “Predator”-In-Chief.
Lyle, sharpness isn’t bad on that shot at this low resolution. I also applied a small amount of extra sharpening during processing.