I was out at Pea Island this morning photographing birds. I had been there since 6am and at around 9 or so I decided to walk out. As I was leaving I noticed this beautiful light on some black neck stilts and so decided to set up for one last shoot before I left. Moments after laying down on the ground at the edge of the water, I heard this squawking from the 40+ black skimmers that were on a nearby mud bar. I swung my lens around just as they were all taking flight. As I panned through the crowed, I came upon this scene. A black back gull had swooped in and snatched one of the juvenile skimmers and was thrashing it about trying to snap its neck. The adult skimmers began a series of raids on the gull diving continuously at its head. Even the black necked stilts joined in. As the gull began to feast, the attacks got worse and the black back finally left the half eaten skimmer in the water and flew off. Several of the adults began flying over the dead juvenile inspecting its body before they flew off to join the rest of the group. I watched as godwits, stilts, and a yellow legs also walked over to inspect the body. They too turned and went back to their business as the remains of the skimmer floated away.
What a scene to have captured! This shows the action very well (good story to go along with the image). It would be nice if there were a catchlight on the skimmer in the air but that's not in your control. I'm impressed you managed to get this, well seen.
This is the most difficult part of nature photography but a definitel part of life. what a scene that must have been to witness Jared. Great behavioral image .
thanks everyone for the responses. The photo is cropped but oddly enough not that heavily done. I was shooting at iso 800 so definetely a bit grainy. The spots all across the photo are something of a mystery to me. None of the other photos have them. I am wondering if its not water droplets in the air. When I first saw it I was pretty scared thinking I had gotten something on me lens and all the photos would be messed up - but like I said, not the case. The specs are f6.3, 1/800 matrix metering, D300, 200-400 vr.
Here is another in the sequence. This one is without the spots.
Wow, what a story Jared, simply unbelievable! Must have been unforgettable to witness this. And you managed to make a good image of this. I would desaturate the blues of the water slightly though.
Predator
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