![\"black-billed](\"https:\/\/featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/black-billed-magpie-1530-ron-dudley.jpg\")
<\/p>\nI find it helpful to set photographic\u00a0goals even though some of them may never be attained and only frustration results.<\/p>\n
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1\/3200, f\/6.3, ISO 800, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF500mm f\/4L IS II USM, not baited, set up or called in<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n I’ve discussed the extreme variability in magpie iridescence on previous occasions.\u00a0Typically the only colors we see in Black-billed Magpies are black and white. There are flashes of color but those colors are very transitory and more easily seen in photographs than with the naked eye. This magpie\u00a0was taking off from a bush on Antelope Island earlier this month.\u00a0I like the image but I’m always after iridescence\u00a0and here we see only\u00a0a hint of color in the blacks of the right wing. If the\u00a0light angle is just right at the moment the shutter clicks you can get spectacular\u00a0blues and greens in the tail and wings but here there’s almost none.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n 1\/1600, f\/7.1, ISO 500, Canon 7D, Canon EF500mm f\/4L IS USM, not baited, set up or called in<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n In the past I’ve been able to get some\u00a0nice color in a few magpie shots but not with the rear view with both wings and the tail flared that I’d like (this bird was hauling mud to the nest).<\/p>\n <\/p>\n An incident three days ago on the island reminded me of what’s possible.<\/p>\n First a\u00a0little background.\u00a0 I’m always on the lookout for large groups of magpies because such convocations often indicate the presence of predators like coyotes and Golden Eagles. As scavengers magpies hang around predator kills for obvious reasons. They also mob predators during the nesting season and magpies in this area have been building nests for weeks so watching magpies can lead me to other photographic subjects.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n 1\/1600, f\/6.3, ISO 640, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF500mm f\/4L IS II USM +1.4\u00a0 tc, not baited, set up or called in<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n These are\u00a0four of about a dozen magpies that were screeching, squawking and flying about some sagebrush very far away from me but even at that great distance I had to stop and watch them through my lens to see what else might be going on. I never did see what was causing all the excitement but even at\u00a0about an eighth\u00a0of a mile away\u00a0the photographer in me couldn’t resist firing off some shots for later analysis. The second bird from the right (and to a lesser degree the fourth bird from the right) reminded me of what is possible with magpies if everything comes together.<\/p>\n I’d love to have this shot of the second magpie from the right\u00a0at a distance of about 75′ (with a head turn looking back at me of course).\u00a0The tail colors and tail spread are spectacular and there’s even significant color in the wings. I think\u00a0I’ve learned the angle of the sun to the\u00a0bird that is most potentially productive for iridescent colors but then the magpie in flight must cooperate too and that combination doesn’t happen\u00a0very often and I have to be close (and set up properly) when it does.<\/p>\n I may or may not ever succeed.\u00a0 But at least I know what to look for and that’s a start.<\/p>\n Ron<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" I find it helpful to set photographic goals even though some of them may never be attained and only frustration results.<\/p>\n![\"black](\"https:\/\/featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/black-billed-magpie-8970-ron-dudley.jpg\")
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