I’m gonna call these two vultures from yesterday morning Frick and Frack. They were hanging around together like they were joined at the… furcula.
1/1000, f/8, ISO 500, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
Meet Frick. The two of them hung out together right next to each other on this ranch entrance gate for a very long time. I photographed two vultures on this same gate two weeks ago and I figure there’s a good chance they were the same two birds. Perhaps they’re even a mated pair.
This shot was taken after Frack took off from the gate and soared leisurely around for maybe five minutes. Much of the time I didn’t know where “she” was but I’m sure Frick did. Frick was relaxed and here had just completed a rouse. Notice how close Frick is to the end of the gate.
Soon I noticed that Frack was approaching the gate as if “she” intended to land there again. Frick obviously knew she was coming too but I believe he expected her to land on the far side of him where there was much more room on the gate.
I took a chance and prefocused on the end of the gate instead of somewhere in the center and hoped I’d get lucky with a landing shot.
1/1600, f/7.1, ISO 500, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
And that’s where Frack landed. Frick was startled by her choice of landing spots and had to jump out of her way. Notice that both of his feet are airborne as he hops to his left to avoid the incoming Frack.
1/1600, f/7.1, ISO 500, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
Then he hopped to his left once again to give her more room. After this shot was taken they settled in right next to each other as if nothing had happened.
I was delighted to get that second photo. Landing shots are almost infinitely more difficult to get than takeoff shots for a variety of reasons (someday I should publish a post about those reasons). Think how many takeoff shots of birds we see on the internet compared to landing shots. I’m sure the ratio is at least 100/1. Here on Feathered Photography I’d wager that my own ratio is more like 200-300/1.
For me at least, degree of difficulty matters.
Ron
Notes:
- The original Frick and Frack were both males.
- Furcula = “wishbone”.
Very fitting choice of show business names. Your fantastic last photo looks like Frack is taking a bow in response to the applause of the audience for such a well-executed landing, and Frick is raising a wing saying “Wasn’t that fabulous, folks? Let’s give a him a big hand”.
Hope neither one strained a furcula, uh…. fercula. Oh, ferk it, I’ll stick with wishbone.
Sorry, Lyle. I wish I hadn’t screwed up that last spelling but I was in a hurry when I added the two “notes” at the end. Corrected.
I can’t take this post seriously. I chortle when I read the vulture has been dubbed “Frick” and then I lose it at the other vulture dubbed as “Frack”. Is this a side effect of quarantine…?
“Joined at the furcula” – I shall always remember said idiom of said body part this way.
Please note that you have typed the term as “Fercula” in your end notes.
Spell check apparently doesn’t recognize either as a word. Thinks I meant “funicular” and “tubercular”.
Nothing wrong with not taking it seriously, Amy. In fact I kind of intended that way. It reminds me of the way a teacher I taught with (Larry Bessey) used those names in reference to certain students of his. I just used those names as a way for readers to keep the two birds straight in my narrative.
Thanks for pointing out my spelling error in my note at the end of my post. I’ve corrected it.
Excellent shots Ron. Really like the landing one. And yes, landing shots are hard to come by. You can wait for a take-off, but pretty hard to anticipate where and when a bird will land. The only shots if have of eagles landing are when I can see them flying in a certain direction and I know exactly where they will land.
Yup, being able to predict where they’re likely to land makes landing shots much easier but even then they’re still much harder to get than takeoff shots. Thanks, Everett.
How I wish we had vultures. Given the amount of road kill they would soon be too full to fly.
And yes, this is yet another brilliant series.
EC, do you have any other large bird species in Oz who fill the same scavenging niche?
Many of the raptors and the corvids do some scavenging, but no, we don’t have a species who can be described as a scavenger. They really, really would have their work cut out for them on some of our roads.
Good exercise – I’ll “remember” it that way…… 😉
Judy, I think you’re referring to your trip to the dictionary. Good point.
Yep – “replied” in the wrong slot……… 🙁
The more I see these birds in action the more I appreciate them. The do seem to connect with each other more than some other species. I rarely have seen them battling each other for food…they just seem to huddle in and share. Have you witnessed them in battle mode?
“The do seem to connect with each other more than some other species.”
I agree, Kathy – insightful observation. Vultures and ravens both come to mind as examples of that.
No, I’ve never seen them fighting.
Love that second pic!!!
Thanks, Arwen.
Very nice landing series!
They say birds don’t have facial expressions, which I disagree to a point, but they sure have body language! Frack is very intensely focused on the landing site and Frick is very definitely thinking “oh sh.. a bit close, Frack”.
April, I’m pretty confident that at least some birds, in certain situations, can have expressions. It’s hard to prove it though…
The landing shots are fabulous! Love Frick’s “disco” pose. 😜 These two are quite the gorgeous specimens.
The male House Finch is back trying to attack his reflection in the clerestory windows again today. They’re too high to get to with my ladder to cover them and I’m getting tired of going outside to shoo him away every 20 minutes or so. Any thoughts from you or your readers? I feel pretty bad for the poor little fellow, using up all his energy on a non-existent competitor.
I’m afraid I’m no help, Marty. Hell, I had to look up clerestory…
Put a raptor picture in the window……….or a cat ready to pounce? 😉
If you can reach it from the inside………..
That’s a great idea, Judy, thank you. Unfortunately, when I let my cousins live here for a few years, they put up a film on these windows to cut down on the light/glare and the outside coating is reflective. Thus, whatever goes up needs to be on the outside of the house. Gotta see if one of the neighbors has a tall enough ladder and then go through my nature magazines for cutouts. Or maybe I can just tack a couple of sheets up outside — I’m not fostering right now, so I don’t need them.
I think he’s convinced that there’s another male inside, because he’s gone after a few other windows in the house that aren’t reflective at all (e.g., the nubbly bathroom windows). He’s a right daft bugger!
Very nice series, Ron!
I really enjoyed seeing vultures in a starring role. I’m on a mission to seek out more of our “common” birds and buzzards certainly fit that description around here.
Your experience and skill with “pre-focusing” has certainly paid off in several posts recently.
And I certainly agree that nailing a landing like you did here is much more of a challenge than the take off.
Wally, as a bird photographer you’d understand why landing shots are so very difficult. But I suspect many others wouldn’t – you have to try to get them to fully comprehend the difficulties.
I just LOVE vultures and I’m delighted that they’re back here. So what a joy to see these guys here this morning!
A couple of days ago, my next-door neighbor called in a panic because about 10 of them were perched on the fencing around her horses, wings spread and soaking up the sun. She thought they might be a danger to her horses and her small dogs–a stocky Jack Russell TERRORIST and a Chihuahua. Really? Oh well, time for some education! Sadly, she’d scared them away before I got there. After an inward invisible chuckle, I explained the whole vulture culture to her. I doubt I recruited a convert to the Vulture Lover’s Club, but I certainly tried. At least she’ll know better if it happens again and that’s about all I can do.
Yesterday, two of them were diving and rising on the winds, close to my back yard but not yet playing with my Brittany in a context of “I can fly. You can’t!” I hope that game starts up again soon.
I love vultures! 😉
I’m sure it WOULD be frightening is one was clueless about them! 🙂
I’d love to see vultures from my yard, Laura. I watched and photographed some of them this morning but I had to travel quite a distance to do it.
Nice photos, Ron. I had the great good fortune of helping care for a young black vulture a few months ago. She was unreleasable because she’d been over-socialized by the person who found her and would jump up on your back (or even your head) when you cleaned her enclosure. Most fun ever!
I’ll just bet that was fun, Cathy. Too bad it had been imprinted though.
Yeah, it was too bad. She’s now in a permanent education home.
I really like the landing shot Ron. Nose down watching where it’s feet are going to touch. However they arenot practicing “social distancing” very well !!
They sure weren’t, Gary. Maybe that’s why Frick kept hopping to his left, he was trying too…
Cool! Other than having to “get out the dictionary” this early in the morning….;) The 3rd photo is wonderful! 🙂 On landings the bird is already in motion so tracking that and guessing where/how it’s going to land IS a challenge! 🙂
“Other than having to “get out the dictionary” this early in the morning”
Judy, that’s why I added the notes at the bottom. So folks wouldn’t have to. 🙂