Western Gull with catch

[Tim Foltz]

Canon 1DX • 700 mm • 1/4000 • f/6.3 • ISO 500

A late afternoon shot after watching this gull for several hours, I had just about given up for
anything to happen and started to leave, I was about 50 yards away when the gull flew up made a few passes up and down the eddy came back, banked and hit the water
and came up with this feeding octopus, note the clams, etc., you can even see the ink discharge coming off a couple of its arms. Awesome to witness.

Thanks for looking.

-Tim

[Warren Spreng]

Amazing! Patience does pay off!

[William Dickson]

Wow. What a capture, by you and the gull :S3:. nice details on the bird and the prey. the ink, coming from the octopus adds so much to the image.

Well done Tim.

Will

[dankearl]

The prey is over the top, very cool... Maybe a bit more at the top?

[arash_hazeghi]

prey is super Tim, it's a whole seafood platter for this lucky gull. make me hungry

did you get one with wings stretched all the way up too? love the dangling feet too

TFS

[Tim Foltz]

prey is super Tim, it's a whole seafood platter for this lucky gull. make me hungry

did you get one with wings stretched all the way up too? love the dangling feet too

TFS

Thanks Arash, not so much strait up he was having a hard time flying horizontally, kind of dragging it across the water to a mud flat.

-Tim

[keith mitchell]

Amazing piece of wildlife photography ,you worked hard at it but it certainly paid off.

Keith.

[shane shacaluga]

Great image! Plenty going on there. Struggle to take off, not get covered in ink and not lose the octopus in the process

I like the wing pose and that the eye is clearly visible and focussing on the job at hand

Octopi usually use stones and shells to protect themselves. They cling on to anything at hand to avoid being bitten and to shield the entrance to their lair

You got the shot so no nits from me

TFS

[Jonathan Ashton]

Absolutely amazing, so much going on and very well caught - congratulations.

[David Salem]

What a Great Frame Tim. You should name this one Seafood cocktail. Clams mussels an octopus, my favorite.
Doesn't get much better than this Frame of Octogull. TFS