When Grackles attack!

[Dan O'Leary]

Over the two days I spent with Jim photographing the Snail Kites we were witness to many unprovoked attacks by Red Winged Black Birds and Grackles on unsuspecting Kites. Most were too far from the boat to get good images of, but I did manage a few.

Here is the best of the bunch - still a big crop (23% of full frame) but I like the poses and action. It may be cropped too loosely. What do you think?

2008:05:03 09:02:40
1dm3 @ 700mm (500+1.4x)
Manually set at 1/1600 sec, f/7.1, ISO 500

[Dan O'Leary]

Here's the other salvageable image. I hope it's acceptable to glom these together in a single thread like this. I thought it told the story better that way. Better story than pictures, I think.

Here I wish the alleged attacker was sharp.

2008:05:02 08:040
1dm3 @ 700mm (500+1.4x)
Manually set 1/1250 sec, f/5.6, ISO 800
26% crop of original

[Robert Amoruso]

Interesting action image - I have witnessed it to as well. Works OK here as a small JPG. Nice work getting on the action.

[Nikolay Staykov - shotlandetsa]

I love such action photos! Well done Dan :)!