Angry Magpie

[Christopher C.M. Cooke]

This is last years young offspring of a family of Australian Magpies http://www.epa.qld.gov.au/nature_conservation/wildlife/native_animals/living_with_wildlife/magpies/

This Magpie family has been co-inhabitants of our house and garden for 20 years comprising of one female and five males over that time (they mate for life but the males frequently get killed by cars)

This was a particularly aggressive youngster who from an early age approached me and cried for food and on this day as I was slow to respond it followed me into the kitchen and just glared at me in impatience, I could not resist the photo.

Captured with the Canon 30D with 300mm F4 IS, at 1/250sec, F4, ISO200, A/Priority and pattern metering.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v651/cookie99/MadMaggie1024x768.jpg

[Lana Hays]

Chris
I like the "in your face" look. However the whites are blown and have no detail which tend to draw my eye to the area. I think this one would have worked better if you had been back a little and given it more DOF as well as light on both eyes. He does look angry!!!

[Jim Poor]

You've got a great opportunity for a series of images. A study of the Magpie, so to speak. You also have a great chance to experiment with different lighting and exposure combos.

I agree that the whites here don't do the image justice. I'd consider cropping in real tight if they can't be recovered from the RAW file. A little fill flash would have helped the bird's left side a bit.

I didn't realize a magpie had such a lifespan! Why, I wonder, are the males so prone to encounters with cars?