Photo of the Month 02/2011

Gallery: AvianPosted January 25, 20112,613 views52 comments

Black-billed Magpie
Pica hudsonia

This was taken last spring, I've been getting excited about photographing magpies nest building again soon, that should start towards the end of February sometime. They take 40-50 days to build thier nests.

This view doesn't give any looks at the iridescence of the backs of this species other than a small amount on the head but I like the landing pose, the nest material in the bill and the good view of the eye.

D200, f7.1, 1/1250, ISO 400, +0.3 EV, 200-400mm VR at 380mm, natural light. Larger version posted. 62% of the original frame.

As always, I sincerely appreciate your comments and critiques on my images. Thanks for looking.

*edited because I forgot to add the crop size

Comments

52 comments

Comment posted by Pat Sampson on January 25, 2011 at 9:35 PM

Outstanding action Mia. Love the balance in the comp between the bird and the flora and the framing of the capture.

pat

Registered on May 19, 2007, 953 Posts, 15989 Comments

Comment posted by Dan Moore on January 25, 2011 at 9:41 PM

Nice for the reasons you state. Both the whites and blacks are really good. I look forward to the future nesting shots!

Dan

Registered on February 11, 2010, 143 Posts, 1248 Comments

Comment posted by Harry Harris on January 25, 2011 at 9:49 PM

Thanks for introducing me to this bird. I have often heard of Magpies but I never saw a photo of one. The detail in the blacks is outstanding. I like the slanting forground and the colors of both the BG and FG. And I do like the capture of a behavior. Great shot.

Registered on August 2, 2010, 169 Posts, 741 Comments

Comment posted by Charles Gangas on January 25, 2011 at 10:58 PM

Nice action captured and the bird is beautifully exposed. Many folks dislike this bird but I love seeing it when I travel West. I think it's quite a beautiful species, as you've so well shown.

Registered on August 12, 2009, 544 Posts, 2414 Comments

Comment posted by SandyRichardsBrown on January 25, 2011 at 11:50 PM

Very interesting habitat shot!
Wonderful pose and eye, nice BG and she surely looks intent!
40-50 days to build a nest? Wow, what dedication..
Sandy

Registered on November 24, 2003, 3937 Posts, 12909 Comments

Comment posted by Mauro Pasquero on January 26, 2011 at 3:22 AM

Awesome image, Mia. Fine exposure: the detail in the blacks is outstanding and the composition is wery well balaced, not to mention the behaviour of the bird !
I like everything of this shot

Mauro

Registered on January 21, 2010, 650 Posts, 2500 Comments

Comment posted by Rob Drummond on January 26, 2011 at 3:39 AM

Remember these shots fondly Mia. Love the fanned tail

cheers
Rob

Registered on November 8, 2003, 617 Posts, 8267 Comments

Comment posted by Michael Lotito on January 26, 2011 at 5:27 AM

outstanding bird! Funny only last night I was speaking to a friend in Canada about magpies. As always excellent exposure and composition!

Registered on June 26, 2009, 181 Posts, 1558 Comments

Comment posted by Ron Bielefeld on January 26, 2011 at 7:24 AM

Love the overall comp Mia. Great flight posture with the wing position and the splayed tail. Perfect exposure IMO. Nice detail in the whites and blacks. BG and sagebrush finish off the comp. Well done.

Registered on December 6, 2008, 360 Posts, 7132 Comments

Comment posted by KC Choo on January 26, 2011 at 7:56 AM

Excellent moment of capture, Mia!

Registered on November 15, 2004, 519 Posts, 8278 Comments

Comment posted by Brian Gatlin on January 26, 2011 at 7:57 AM

looks great, Mia. I love magpies and miss them a lot from my days in Colorado. wing and tail position, exposure, and nesting material are all really nice, but my favorite part is the position of the feet, getting ready to land.

Registered on March 21, 2009, 202 Posts, 4187 Comments

Comment posted by Howard Cheek on January 26, 2011 at 8:38 AM

This looks outstanding Mia, I would be proud to call this one mine

Registered on July 24, 2008, 1201 Posts, 10758 Comments

Comment posted by Graham Brown on January 26, 2011 at 11:04 AM

Lovely action shot Mia, I really like that deep black colour and the fact you've achieved detail in those areas. The colour of the bird contrasts well with the light bush which doesn't look too enviting to me to build a nest in. The Magpies are very common here but this image reminds me that I have to target this species this year as I haven't got a good shot of one yet. Graham

Registered on November 20, 2007, 275 Posts, 1365 Comments

Comment posted by Soubhik Patranabis on January 26, 2011 at 11:37 AM

Beautiful shot .

Registered on January 25, 2010, 54 Posts, 610 Comments

Comment posted by Fabrizio Moglia on January 26, 2011 at 3:34 PM

Hi Mia, congratulation ! This is a beautiful and not easy picture !

Ciao, fabrizio.

Registered on January 18, 2011, 5 Posts, 28 Comments

Comment posted by Richard Ditch on January 26, 2011 at 8:29 PM

Nice exposure and great view of the action.

Well done.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 1031 Posts, 12705 Comments

Comment posted by Dennis Plank on January 26, 2011 at 10:01 PM

Wonderful image, Mia. Great job on the exposure and I like the bush in the foreground. The landing pose is perfect.

Registered on January 28, 2008, 1767 Posts, 23192 Comments

Comment posted by Andy Shepherd on January 27, 2011 at 4:44 AM

Love the tones running throughout this one, Mia. Your exposure is nailed, and I like the inclusion of the nesting material, nice catchlight too.

Andy...

Registered on September 24, 2006, 123 Posts, 1254 Comments

Comment posted by Albert Darmo on January 27, 2011 at 10:48 AM

Hi Mia

This is a marvelous action shot! The composition, detail, color .light, and habitat are all excellent

Albert Darmo Canada

Registered on November 25, 2008, 1386 Posts, 11978 Comments

Comment posted by Walt Sterneman on January 27, 2011 at 4:07 PM

That's a beautiful shot Mia. I love the action.

Registered on March 24, 2010, 73 Posts, 1268 Comments

Comment posted by Steve Canuel on January 27, 2011 at 10:34 PM

Love these birds and see them all the time. Getting a good shot of one, not so easy for me. I like the pose you caught, especially the near wing and how it curves over the body. Also like the branches across the bottom.

Registered on September 12, 2010, 53 Posts, 660 Comments

Comment posted by Sally King on January 28, 2011 at 12:24 AM

Even without the iridescence the image has remarkable detail in those blacks and whites. Love the splayed wings and nest building activity. I have never seen them doing that around here.

Registered on December 2, 2008, 416 Posts, 4450 Comments

Comment posted by Nate Chappell on January 28, 2011 at 11:43 PM

A terrific image in all respects Mia, great behavior, action and exposure, congrats.

Registered on February 1, 2006, 1158 Posts, 19528 Comments

Comment posted by Steve Balke on January 29, 2011 at 2:31 PM

I don't know how you obtain such beautiful shots so consistently, Mia. Without the twigs in the bill it would be a beautiful bif. With those twigs, positioned so as to avoid obscuring our view of the eye, combined with the lovely matching foreground and background, it's an outstanding behavioral shot as well.

Registered on June 18, 2009, 229 Posts, 2915 Comments

Comment posted by Ron Dudley on January 31, 2011 at 2:11 PM

This is great Mia. Love your exposure on this incredibly difficult subject and you've presented this behavior very well. Didn't we have great fun with these magpies? Excellent image.

Registered on March 30, 2007, 437 Posts, 10915 Comments

Comment posted by Peter Conway on February 2, 2011 at 12:13 PM

Hi Mia,

Congrats on a well deserved EP! I missed this earlier, Beautiful work!

Peter

Registered on June 25, 2007, 347 Posts, 3913 Comments

Comment posted by Simon Bennett on February 2, 2011 at 12:34 PM

Excellent image and congratulations on the EP.

Registered on February 4, 2007, 350 Posts, 4614 Comments

Comment posted by Monica Siri on February 2, 2011 at 12:36 PM

Mia,
beautiful action very well captured. Congrats on the EP.

Registered on September 20, 2009, 132 Posts, 3764 Comments

Comment posted by Albert Darmo on February 2, 2011 at 12:46 PM

Hi Mia

Marvelous action shot!!!!! Congrats on the EP.

Albert Darmo. Canada

Registered on November 25, 2008, 1386 Posts, 11978 Comments

Comment posted by Luke Ormand on February 2, 2011 at 12:51 PM

Somehow missed this... spread feathers are sweet and exposure is spot on. An amazing capture - congrats on the weekly honor.

Registered on February 4, 2009, 1093 Posts, 7035 Comments

Comment posted by Mauro Pasquero on February 2, 2011 at 12:54 PM

CONGRATULATIONS ON THE EP MIA

Mauro

Registered on January 21, 2010, 650 Posts, 2500 Comments

Comment posted by Andy Shepherd on February 2, 2011 at 1:13 PM

Congrats on the EP, Mia

Andy...

Registered on September 24, 2006, 123 Posts, 1254 Comments

Comment posted by dan elster on February 2, 2011 at 1:39 PM

I'm way too late and everything has probably been said..Stunning shot and congrats on the EP.

Registered on September 23, 2005, 299 Posts, 2443 Comments

Comment posted by Ron Bielefeld on February 2, 2011 at 2:57 PM

Awesome EP Mia. Very deserving. Way to go.

Registered on December 6, 2008, 360 Posts, 7132 Comments

Comment posted by SandyRichardsBrown on February 2, 2011 at 3:08 PM

Mia, yet another exceptional catch and fine EP!
Congrats!
Perfect exposure, detail, pose and BG.
Doesn't get much better!
Sandy

Registered on November 24, 2003, 3937 Posts, 12909 Comments

Comment posted by antino cervigni on February 2, 2011 at 3:24 PM

Very nice flight shot and details. Fantastic image. Regards

Registered on April 17, 2010, 70 Posts, 202 Comments

Comment posted by May Haga on February 2, 2011 at 6:30 PM

Congratulations Mia. This was a good choice for the 'weeklypick' Sorry i missed it earlier. It is a great behavioural shot.

May

Registered on February 22, 2007, 714 Posts, 8470 Comments

Comment posted by Gary Gulash on February 2, 2011 at 10:09 PM

Well deserved EP Mia. Tough species to get near and this photo has some very cool behavior as well. Well done!!!

Registered on January 28, 2005, 879 Posts, 12098 Comments

Comment posted by Sharon Hallowell on February 2, 2011 at 10:50 PM

I missed this one before, and so glad I came back to it! Very nice and congrats on the EP! Sharon

Registered on November 1, 2003, 392 Posts, 4810 Comments

Comment posted by Charlie VanTassel on February 3, 2011 at 1:09 AM

I missed it too. Congratulations, Mia!

Really nice.

Registered on October 18, 2006, 644 Posts, 4801 Comments

Comment posted by Ken Archer on February 3, 2011 at 2:03 AM

Whoa!!!

I missed it too. Congrats Mia, well deserved

Ken Archer

Registered on October 28, 2004, 222 Posts, 6683 Comments

Comment posted by Harry Harris on February 3, 2011 at 8:14 AM

Congrats Mia on EP. Great work deserves recognition.

Registered on August 2, 2010, 169 Posts, 741 Comments

Comment posted by Bill Fach on February 4, 2011 at 1:00 AM

Mia: I love magpies and really enjoy their antics when we go to Rocky Mountain NP. I have zero shots of them that I will allow to see the light of day and in my slide shooting days I filled trash cans with failed shots. This is just terrific and I am so jealous. Congrats on a fine capture and the weekly pick.>=))>

Registered on November 1, 2003, 1805 Posts, 26981 Comments

Comment posted by Nate Chappell on February 4, 2011 at 11:40 AM

Congrats Mia

Registered on February 1, 2006, 1158 Posts, 19528 Comments

Comment posted by Lorna Taylor on February 4, 2011 at 3:00 PM

Congratulations on you photo of the month Mia, a wonderful image!

Registered on November 12, 2010, 254 Posts, 3083 Comments

Comment posted by Gary Marquart on February 5, 2011 at 10:13 PM

Mia, I never saw this before, terrific image! Congrats on photo of the month. Very deserving.

Registered on October 24, 2009, 126 Posts, 799 Comments

Comment posted by Jeff Loomis on February 6, 2011 at 7:12 AM

Amazing shot Mia! The fanned tail, nesting material, perfect exposure all come together to make this image a great one. On my first trip out west several years ago, I was thrilled to see these - a new species for me at the time. The locals seemed disinterested, since they are so common. Excellent job of capturing their beauty.

Registered on January 26, 2010, 68 Posts, 719 Comments

Comment posted by Stan Rose on February 6, 2011 at 8:10 AM

AWESOME, Mia! Glad to see you gettig some well-deserved recognition!

Registered on September 15, 2005, 836 Posts, 17099 Comments

Comment posted by Mia McPherson on February 6, 2011 at 8:18 AM

My most sincere thanks to everyone who has commented on this black-billed magpie image! It is an honor to have it selected as the photo of the month on NPN with so many great contributing photographers.

Registered on June 25, 2007, 491 Posts, 12566 Comments

Comment posted by Angela McCain on February 7, 2011 at 11:55 PM

Just great. Congrats on the Photo of the Month.

Registered on April 19, 2009, 367 Posts, 3589 Comments

Comment posted by Wayne Willison on February 8, 2011 at 6:11 PM

Congrats, Mia. Love the forward motion pose, and those blacks details.

Registered on April 10, 2009, 292 Posts, 3967 Comments

Comment posted by Dennis Plank on February 9, 2011 at 8:24 PM

Congratulations, Mia. A brilliant image.

Registered on January 28, 2008, 1767 Posts, 23192 Comments