"foot loose..."

[annmpacheco]

Boy were we surprised to see what this loggerhead shrike was doing atop this ragged branch. This is classic behavior: impaling, skewering, or wedging a prey item as is seen here. Such behavior may satisfy the attraction of the opposite sex, and or it may serve to advertise the shrike's prowess.
Increased exposure, lifted shadows around beak area, decreased highlighted broken branch near the top of the perch, added few points of contrast, sharpened and noise reduction.

Canon 1Dx, 1200mm

ISO 800
f 8.0
1/1000

[Glenn Pure]

I don't know these birds Ann but that meal seems quite remarkable for a little bird. As you mention, must be part of a display to the opposite sex but still a remarkable thing! I feel the IQ and detail is not up to your usual very high standard on this one and wonder if a bit more sharpening might help? Background is excellent and I like your composition.

[Stu Bowie]

Hi Ann, cool behaviour, and the leg/foot seems to be from an aquatic subject. I do like the colour to your BG too.

[Arthur Morris]

The leg is from a coot as I am pretty sure that Ann knows. As per the Birds of North America account #231 this behavior is not at all related to mate selection, it is just a way of storing food. As for the image, it is quite interesting and it is also sharp although that is hard to see as presented. With the light from our high left the front of the bird and a good portion of the branch are shaded. I ran my NIK 50/50 recipe on a selection of the too-dark parts and then pulled the curve up as well ... It is looks a bit too light that is because my monitor is calibrated too dark and I cannot fix it :)

with love, artie

[gail bisson]

Very cool behavior that we saw that day.
I think the colors are great.
The issue for us when shooting this scene in SoCal is that there was a lot of heat shimmer- 99% of the images I shot of this were garbage because of the heat shimmer.
Artie's repost helped,
Gail

[annmpacheco]

The leg is from a coot as I am pretty sure that Ann knows. As per the Birds of North America account #231 this behavior is not at all related to mate selection, it is just a way of storing food. As for the image, it is quite interesting and it is also sharp although that is hard to see as presented. With the light from our high left the front of the bird and a good portion of the branch are shaded. I ran my NIK 50/50 recipe on a selection of the too-dark parts and then pulled the curve up as well ... It is looks a bit too light that is because my monitor is calibrated too dark and I cannot fix it :)

with love, artie

Thanks Artie, I appreciate your repost, looks a ton better. We were in a fixed position, and Gail is correct about the heat shimmer, and this was at 1200mm. However, I still am pleased to have captured this very cool behavior, despite image quality. I read several places on line that the prey item may or is used for attracting a mate so thats why i included the info... Guess one can't believe everything we read on the internet, but we should rather ask the shrike! I hope you are feeling better as we all are hoping the best for you, take care.

[Arthur Morris]

Thanks Artie, I appreciate your repost, looks a ton better. We were in a fixed position, and Gail is correct about the heat shimmer, and this was at 1200mm. However, I still am pleased to have captured this very cool behavior, despite image quality. I read several places on line that the prey item may or is used for attracting a mate so thats why i included the info... Guess one can't believe everything we read on the internet, but we should rather ask the shrike! I hope you are feeling better as we all are hoping the best for you, take care.

You are welcome Ann. I am quite familiar with heat shimmer and long focal lengths having spent some time lately in Phoenix ... Not to mention Namibia a while back. The BONA species accounts have a scientific bent and are quite comprehensive. And I read it carefully. I am blessed to have a hard copy of the complete set. And yes, best not to believe everything you read on the web. :)

with love, artie

[Daniel Cadieux]

A couple of years ago I lost a whole series on a goldeneye trying in vain to swallow a way too large mudpuppy due to heat shimmer coming off of very cold water. It was disheartening going through the images one by one and seeing the damage that does to IQ, and I still get a lump in my throat talking about it. Anyhow, what a way cool image this is, I've never seen anything like this. Yes, the IQ is not up to our high standards, but the image subject is more than interesting to make it a keeper.

[David Salem]

That was pretty cool seeing him up there with that coot leg. Yes sometimes the shimmers out there can kill an image and it is especially evident at 1200 mm. Arties re post helps quite a bit. As Artie mentioned this has nothing to do with attracting a mate and everything to do with the fact that they do not have big feet and talons to hold down prey so they find spike or crevice to attached their prey so they can pull at it with their beak to tear off pieces. They are also known as the butcher bird for this exact reason. Well done Ann

[Arthur Morris]

Thanks Dave. I am betting that the coot was scavenged and thus was not the shrike's "prey." They can kick some *** but not a coot's *** :)

with love, artie

[arash_hazeghi]

very cool image, it is excellent from documenting this rare sighting. I wish the shrike's head had not merged with the perch and that it was a sharp frame, but shimmers can be killer in this location at least you got the coot foot clear

TFS