A behavioral series I thought was interesting.
The following photos are partially side lit and some of them are noticeably soft. They were taken in the early morning when the temps were in the low 20’s so I’m hoping the softness was caused by heat waves rather than a problem with my gear. Whatever the cause, and despite their slight softness, I thought the behaviors I documented were interesting enough to post them anyway.
First, I need to set the stage.
Two days ago I was driving on a remote dirt road in northern Utah when I spotted a cluster of excited magpies hanging around a group of four unusually large wooden posts that I’m quite familiar with from other trips to the area. The posts are unusual for two reasons – they’re thicker and taller than most old wooden fence posts, and they’re closer together – separated from each other by only about 6′. I can only guess at their original function but for our purposes their function is irrelevant. What’s important is the distance between them.
The posts and magpies were on the ‘wrong’ side of the road for photography from my pickup so I had to drive past them, turn around and come back. And I was determined to do so because at the last second I noticed that there was another bird on one of the posts, one that wasn’t a magpie. I wasn’t able to ID that bird until I turned around and came back.
1/3200, f/6.3, ISO 800, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
It turned out to be an adult Red-tailed Hawk that was picking away at what I believe was the remnants of one of the front legs of a rabbit. There was very little flesh left on the leg, about all that was left was bones and a tuft of fur at one end.
But the hawk was very possessive of that scrawny leg and the magpies, about a half-dozen of them, were determined to steal it. Some of them were perched on the other three posts (remember, those posts are only about 6′, apart), calling excitedly, and occasionally one or more of them would take off and dive bomb the red-tail.
1/3200, f/6.3, ISO 800, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
The hawk picked at the bones for a while but eventually, as the magpies became bolder and bolder, ‘she’ could no longer ignore them. In this photo she’s watching one of the magpies flying in her direction just prior to another attack.
The magpies were careful to not get too close so while the hawk was on the post I was unable to get both birds in the frame.
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
Each time a magpie swooped at her she would raise her wings in defense. Eventually, defending the almost fleshless rabbit leg became more trouble than it was worth so she…
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
took off, leaving the leg behind on the post. The only remnant of the rabbit she took with her was a tuft of fur stuck to her bill.
This is when things got interesting. When she took off, one of the magpies was perched on the post 6′ to our right.
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
I was amazed by how quickly that magpie went after the rabbit leg on the post. Here it had already taken off from its perch, barely out of frame to the right, before the hawk had even passed by directly overhead. It was determined to get that leg before one of the other magpies got it.
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
The next photo in the burst is the only shot I got that includes at least part of both birds and both posts. The magpie avoided the hawk by going low, but I thought it was still a risky maneuver.
At this point I followed the hawk with my lens so I couldn’t see what the magpie was doing.
1/5000, f/6.3, ISO 800, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
But 14 shots in the burst later the magpie had the rabbit leg and was making its escape. Here it had just passed over the post that had been its original perch.
1/5000, f/6.3, ISO 800, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
One of the other magpies gave chase but as far as I could tell this one managed to hold onto its prize.
Admittedly, I’m not sure that the scrap of food was a rabbit leg but I went with it for two reasons – there was a dead rabbit on the road a little over 100 yards away from the four posts and to me it looks like it could be a rabbit leg.
But who knows.
Ron
What an exciting encounter! That is one ballsy magpie! The last shot is pretty slick and would make a good “magpie hat” if it weren’t just a tad soft. (See? I’ve known you long enough that your nit aversion has rubbed off on me. š)
Thanks, Marty. Welcome to Nitsville!
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āDesperate times call for desperate measuresā ā said both the hawk and the magpie. What I hope is that you happened upon the scene after the hawk had gotten the meatier portion down the hatch so giving it up to her tormentors was no big deal. But Iām so glad you captured this very interesting (and exciting!) series.
Chris, I strongly suspect (for a reason that takes more time to explain that it’s worth) that the hawk enjoyed a good portion of that rabbit before the magpie got some of the leftovers.
What an exciting interlude. Those magpies must have been desperate (or as another commentator said) seriously bored.
I am so very glad that not only are you out and about again, but that you are being rewarded. And yes, I hope that temperature disparity explains the relative ‘softness’ of this series.
Thanks, EC. That’s all I need is to have to deal with gear issues.
Fabulous photos Ron and what an experience. Who cares if they are a little soft or if a wing was just slightly clipped when documenting behaviour. Behaviour is king and when you have multiple species interacting that is best of all.
“Who cares if they are a little soft or if a wing was just slightly clipped when documenting behaviour.”
That’s my philosophy too, Granny Pat. But I’m a behavior kinda guy and some blog followers are more interested in quality photos.
I’m probably going to outrage many, and this isn’t to say I don’t like gorgeous shots because I really do but I’ve always felt beauty without character and context is boring after the first 30 seconds and entirely forgettable, but hey, that’s just me and besides, they always say you can’t please anyone if you don’t please yourself too so I’ll stay for the ride whatever you shoot.
Agreed. I’ve seen many thousands of gorgeous bird photos but I rarely remember them for long. It’s the interesting behavioral photos that stick in my mind, whether they’re mine or they were taken by someone else.
An amusing account. To the victor go the spoils, meager though they be. Iām working on a solution to temperature differential causing soft shots. It involves quantum mechanics and dark matter, so it may be a while.
“It involves quantum mechanics and dark matter, so it may be a while”
I’ll be waiting, Lyle!
Rabbit leg or whatever what an exciting event. Fun story and photos. I have noticed that it is really hard for the large raptors including eagles to protect their food from a group of smaller faster more agile birds. And often if they are really determined they will successfully drive off the larger bird who will take the prey with them or leave it if mostly eaten.
So glad to see you out there. Just take it slow.
“I have noticed that it is really hard for the large raptors including eagles to protect their food from a group of smaller faster more agile birds.”
That’s it exactly, Everett. It’s obvious that you’ve spent quite a bit of time watching interactions like that.
What a treat your outing must have been, and a treat for us to see FP in our inboxes. The golden eagle yesterday was lovely, and today’s is so interesting. I’ve watched our local magpies harass hawks on wires and in our trees – they get pretty bold, but to fly right under those talons and steal a hawk’s breakfast? Wow, taking bold to a new level!
Carolyn, as one of my good friends said about this post – “Magpies are risk-takers.”
Bird behavior is fun to watch. Since there was nothing to eat off that bone, just bored Magpies with nothing else to do āļø
I guess that could be part of it too, Diana.
Those corvids! Thanks for a terrific series of shots, Ron.
You’re welcome, Ellen.
Great sequence! Iām wondering if the magpies share the loot.
I doubt it, Brett – not when it’s as little as what’s left on that leg.
I love it when you catch the action.
Fortune favors the bold? And that those fellows are.
Indeed they are, Michael.
Regardless of the cold, these shots are great!
Thanks, Dick.
WOW! Certainly not uncommon for Magpies to get brazen about something BUT! Magpie must have been VERY hungry to think that pitance of a leg would be worth the risk…. š Heat waves probably the issue…..
Had “every Magpie in the world” harassing “something” upstream yesterday in the brush. Slim pickins here right now with about 8″ of snow on the ground (light fluffy stuff unfortunately). They DO get on it!
Nice to hear water running in the creek where it’s breaking through the ice….. š Been a LONG dry spell for it tho we never lost the well completely this year. Amazing how little water one can get by with…… š
Congrats on your new “wet”, Judy. Our snow has been unusually wet so far this early winter too and it’s a darn good thing.
Glad you’re getting some much needed moisture. We had some good rain last week that brought snow to our local mountains, but it melted pretty quickly.
The “winning” magpie looks to be sleek and in good condition–he must’ve
won a number of such contests, but such a squabble among so many birds
for that pathetic little prize ! Sure is illustrative of the determination it takes
to survive in the wild–especially in winter. Thanks for YOUR determination
to capture these scenes; it must’ve been very cold, and you still healing. You
might have been a magpie in a former incarnation……
Kris, me trying to keep warm might have been the reason some of the photos were soft. I had the heater cranked up so when I stuck my warm lens out the window into the cold air the temperature disparity may have ruined my attempt to get sharp shots – contraction and expansion and all that.