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<\/p>\nI don’t believe that I photograph any species more pugnacious than the Cliff Swallow. Their combative nature can lead to some interesting photo opportunities\u00a0but they’re so darned quick that doing it well is very difficult. \u00a0Two days ago at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge I spent a few minutes attempting to photograph Cliff Swallows in flight but quickly abandoned the effort because they’re so difficult to lock focus on in the air.<\/p>\n
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1\/2500, f,6.3, ISO 500, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon<\/strong> EF500mm f\/4L IS II USM +1.4 tc,\u00a0not baited, set up or called in<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n But some of them were perching in a stand of last years phragmites allowing for some clean shots with a background I like. The swallows were so thick in the air that at least a third of the images I took of perched birds had other blurry birds in the background or foreground.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n 1\/2000, f,6.3, ISO 500, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon<\/strong> EF500mm f\/4L IS II USM +1.4 tc, partial blurry bird removed,\u00a0not baited, set up or called in<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n This swallow took off from the vertical stem in an attempt to turn defense into offense. It was being attacked by another bird from the left so it flew directly at the aggressive swallow. The antagonist was partially still in frame but it was very blurry so I broke down and removed it but you can tell\u00a0approximately where it was by following the direction this swallow was looking. I wish I’d had just a little more shutter speed to get this bird slightly sharper.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n 1\/2000, f,6.3, ISO 500, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF500mm f\/4L IS II USM +1.4 tc, partial blurry bird removed,\u00a0not baited, set up or called in<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n The action was fast and furious and I never knew what to expect next so it was difficult to know what camera\u00a0settings to use in a given situation. Here there were two birds perched on a vertical stem, one directly below the other. Suddenly a third swallow viciously\u00a0attacked the lower bird from the left and I didn’t have enough depth of field or shutter speed to get the combatants sharp but their beak-tip to beak-tip fighting postures are clear enough.<\/p>\n In the previous shot it’s obvious that the top swallow saw the\u00a0incoming\u00a0bird but it apparently knew the attack would be directed at his companion below him. I like\u00a0its nonchalant pose with the skirmish going on directly below.<\/p>\n I’m anxious to try this again with a different strategy. I had enough light to shoot at ISO 1600 with the 7D Mark II which could have given me significantly more shutter speed and depth of field.\u00a0I’d like to shoot these birds for an hour or so and take lots of shots to give me a better chance of catching action where all the participants are sharp.<\/p>\n Live and learn…<\/p>\n Ron<\/p>\n \n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" I don’t believe that I photograph any species more pugnacious than the Cliff Swallow. Their combative nature can lead to some interesting photo opportunities but they’re so darned quick that doing it well is very difficult.<\/p>\n![\"cliff](\"https:\/\/featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/cliff-swallow-9878-ron-dudley.jpg\")
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