You just never know what kind of aerial maneuver a magpie might perform immediately after takeoff. It all depends on the direction they intend to fly, the speed and direction of the wind and perhaps what kind of mood they’re in. Photographically speaking, many of their takeoffs are visually unremarkable but other times they’re quite dramatic.
Takeoffs happen so fast you have to take the photos and see what you got after the fact. On occasion you get lucky.
1/4000, f/6.3, ISO 800, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
Two days ago on Antelope Island this magpie took off into the breeze (they take off into the wind more often than not) but ‘his’ intended destination was in a different direction. So immediately after he launched he flared into the wind, changed direction and flew off into the background behind him and away from me. That maneuver provided a dramatic flight posture in nice light that I like a lot.
We have a great look at the bold patterning of most of his ventral surfaces, his tail is mostly flared, there’s light in his eye and pretty decent detail in his blacks and whites. Magpies don’t show iridescence in any their ventral surfaces but when I get a shot like this I don’t miss having it. Ventral iridescence on a magpie would look pretty silly anyway.
I’m encouraged by the fact that I’m finally getting some greens in these backgrounds on the island. That should improve over the next few weeks.
Those wrinkles (ripples?) in the whites of his right wing primaries catch my eye, in part because of their geometric placement relative to each other (collectively they form an arc). I presume they’re caused by tension placed on the feathers by air pressure during takeoff. I think they add interest to the image.
Apologies for posting so many magpie photos in recent weeks but I have to post what I take and magpies have been among my most cooperative subjects lately. Besides, I love those flashy, sassy birds.
Ron
You never have to apologize for magpie hats like these! 😀
Marty, I haven’t made a hat out of it yet!
Beautiful shot.
Thanks, Michael.
He has a bit of a head feather issue in the wind too. You are getting some amazing shots!
Thank you, Arwen.
Apologise not. What an incredible sight to see, let alone capture. Many, many thanks.
I am fuming over the Burrowing Owls though. Big time. And like April’s analogy that I would have been too angry to use on the gawkers.
EC, thankfully for me (and for the jerks who do stuff like that) I don’t see that kind of behavior with the owls on the island as often as April does. I’m always there by dawn and I’m gone by the time most folks arrive in the island.
Very nice image. I saw you when you were on the Island, but I don’t think you recognized me. I was by the burrowing owls below the visitor center hill. It looks like about half the boxes visible from the roads on the Island have inhabitants . I don’t know it those closest to the road will stay, so many people walking up to the nest, all with cameras and big enough lens power to stay at the road. If they don’t have young they will abandon the area with that much human intrusion. I talked to a few people about the issue, for a change most were nice and backed off. I think when I mention that the owls will not stay and nest in the burrow if bothered this much and if people can’t keep their distance the park might have to rope off the area preventing anyone from parking and watching even from their cars along the road. My analogy I give is: Say you and your family are enjoying a nice day at home, relaxing possibly just talking as a family when you notice strangers in your yard. Not only are they walking outside around your house but looking in your windows with large cameras pointed toward you and your children. Do you feel threatened? Afraid for you and your children’s safety? And this occurs not just today but every day multiple times a day. Would you move, would you abandon your house? When I talked to the photographers all had lenses of 400mm or higher, some 800mm and 900mm. They could have photographed a feather louse at that closeness.
Nope, I didn’t recognize you, April. Since my eyesight isn’t so great to start with I have to really focus on looking for birds so I don’t pay much attention to the people in vehicles. Sorry I missed you.
I just get angry when I see stuff like that with the owls on the island – so angry it’s best that I don’t stop.
It makes me angry too but I try to stay calm and educate good wildlife etiquette. Some don’t know, other don’t care and the last group are the ones I have more trouble with being nice towards. If they get nasty I take a photo of them and their car plates, that usually gets them moving along.
Sounds like literature to hand out might be useful! I imagine some of them are ignorant rather than flagrantly stupid! Grrr
The light in the eye! Pure excellence Ron. And please never apologize for anything in your blog. We all love it unconditionally. 🙂
Much appreciated, Kathleen.
I enjoy all the magpie shots you take. Keep posting them. We lived with and loved magpies in our almost 4 decades in Alaska. We miss having them around here on Washington’s Olympic Peninsula.
Good to know, Gary. I may be posting a few more before nesting season is over.
If it weren’t for the feet you could have said this a dorsal view and I wouldn’t have questioned it. . Anyway, you caught him in an astounding aerodynamic position, with alulae engaged.
I know what you mean, Lyle. I had to double check to make sure it was a ventral view.
No apologies needed. I don’t see these often so this is treat😊
Have a great day❗️
Good. Thanks, Diana.
Flashy and Sassy they sure are. Excellent photo Ron. Being black and white they really stand out against that background. Very handsome birds that I wish we had here.
Thanks, Everett. I’d miss them a lot if I couldn’t see them regularly.
“Flared into the wind”, “flared his tail”— you’ve got the perfect words for
the flashy magpie–the bird with “flair extraordinaire”—I love this shot !
“Flair extraordinaire” indeed. Thanks, Kris.
Beautiful shot, Ron…… 🙂 Nice, sharp, detail of the beautiful pattern on the ventral side of the wings…..
Thanks, Judy.
Wow! On the way to soaring.
👍