![\"\"](\"https:\/\/featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/black-billed-magpie-8111-ron-dudley.jpg\")
<\/p>\nWish I knew what the food was…<\/p>\n
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1\/1600, f\/6.3, ISO 800, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f\/4L IS II USM, not baited, set up or called in<\/em><\/p>\n Antelope Island has been very slow for birds lately but yesterday morning I did find a few juvenile Black-billed Magpies hanging out\u00a0in a group near White Rock Bay. This one landed mostly buried in the sagebrush but when it came out it had something in its bill that it found deep within the plant. I have no idea what it is but obviously it was important enough to the magpie for it to carry it off.<\/p>\n Juvenile magpies have a different look about them compared to the adults. Their tail is significantly shorter and they’re molting now so they often have bare patches on their faces in particular. I like this shot for the flight posture, the iridescence on the wing and tail and I think the food (if that’s what it is) adds interest.<\/p>\n A side note:\u00a0Just as I sat down to prepare this post Windows hijacked my computer and gave me no choice but to do an update which took almost\u00a090 minutes! I was cussing Microsoft with as much venomous vitriol as\u00a0I do an uncooperative raptor\u00a0who flies off a millisecond before I get my lens in it (and I say that only partly tongue in cheek…).<\/p>\n Ron<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Wish I knew what the food was…<\/p>\n