Grackle Feeding young

[Stephen Stephen]

http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s219/Squidcan/Birds2/Grackle08_01a.jpg


Canon 40D, Sigma 50-500mm @500 on Bushhawk 320 with Fill Flash. ISO 400, F 10.0, 1/160. Cropped to about 70% of full frame.

I've not had time to get out much over the past few weeks as I've been traveling for work. I did manage to create this image at Mer Bleue bog on Saturday. While walking over a boardwalk over a beaver pond I noticed a Grackle nest in the cattails. There were still 3 youngsters in the nest but 2 had climbed out into the open. This little fellow moved out further to be fed but I had to wait for a group of Beaver and Cub Scouts to leave before one of the parents came back with food. Almost every angle was blocked by cattails and reeds so I was pleased when the parent turned it's head for a second.

I only found the nest around 11:00 a.m. and the lighting was harsh, and from the wrong angle, so I had no way to manouver for a better angle. :( I decided to capture the moment anyway.

[Harold Davis]

too bad about the harsh light. that is a precious moment. congrats on the capture. hope you can get back out in some better light.

[Arthur Morris]

You pretty much did as well as you could have and a good job of at least getting some sort of slot to get through. It looks as if the bird is feeding the chick some saran wrap...

[Judy Lynn Malloch]

Neat capture Stephen of a very intimate moment with the parent and baby. Thanks for sharing this with us.

[Steve Maxson]

Well done under difficult conditions, Stephen. I'm guessing the food item might be a newly emerged dragonfly??

[Stephen Stephen]

Thank you Harold, Artie, Judy and Steve. Steve and Artie I agree that Artie's "Saran Wrap" is likely a dragonfly. The parent had carried it back and forth for a few minutes as people passed along the boardwalk. It arrived to the chick a bit worse for wear but still tasting (to a grackle) I suppose.