Loggerhead Shrike

Gallery: AvianPosted February 20, 201184 views12 comments

Loggerhead Shrike (Lanius ludovicianus)

Place: Gilbert Water Ranch, AZ, USA
Date: January 2, 2011 10:21 am
Equipment: Nikon D200, Nikkor AF-S 300/2.8 & TC20E (2x), G1325, RRS BH-55, Sidekick
Exposure: ISO 400, Aperture priority matrix metered, 1/350th @ f/11
Raw, PS CS3 on Mac G4, 63% of full frame

Its been a year since I posted one of this species, so time for another.

It paid off to stay later than normal at the Water Ranch on this visit when this shrike dropped down from his perch and came back up with the remains of a rodent it was eating. I'm usually very calm while shooting, but I was excited enough to almost screw things up. It took many frames before I saw I hadn't reset my exposure compensation. Then I had the converter partially disconnected and almost dropped the camera off the lens.

More shots on my blog.

Honest critiques requested; all comments appreciated. Please base commeents on the larger version.

Comments

12 comments

Comment posted by Ron Bielefeld on February 20, 2011 at 2:18 PM

Nice Rich. Love the action here. Great to see these birds when they skewer their food on thorns. Well captured.

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

Comment posted by Mauro Pasquero on February 20, 2011 at 2:47 PM

Great shoot, Richard. I understand very well your excitement, it happens to me as well and every time I forget to reset my camera ! Anyway, your image did not suffer at all !
Mauro

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

Comment posted by Gary Marquart on February 20, 2011 at 3:51 PM

Nice behavior shot Rich, I use to see this species regularly when I was a kid growing up on the farm but it's been many many years since I've seen one. Nice pose, sky and perch.

P.S. I got a kick out of your story!

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

Comment posted by Ryan Marshik on February 20, 2011 at 10:32 PM

No Loggerheads up here, but have seen a number of Northern Shrikes. Cool birds
Nice action, and catchlight
Blurring the branches/leaves in the lower right may be beneficial.
Cool shot

Registered on February 1, 2011, 10 Posts, 103 Comments

Comment posted by Rob Drummond on February 21, 2011 at 5:43 AM

Great behavioural shot Richard. That species of tree makes for a nice perch with its open but interesting foliage.

cheers
Rob

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

Comment posted by Barbara Graham on February 21, 2011 at 7:34 AM

Great story. :) Nice light, great clarity. In the larger version you can totally see the focus of this bird on his food.

Registered on July 27, 2010, 1310 Posts, 5035 Comments

Comment posted by Michael Lotito on February 21, 2011 at 7:37 AM

Great behavior shot Richard. Well done!

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

Comment posted by dan elster on February 21, 2011 at 6:21 PM

This is superb Richard!

I'd say one of the very best shrike behavior images I've ever seen. I'm not on NPN much these days, I almost missed this.

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

Comment posted by David Williams on February 22, 2011 at 12:52 AM

Nicely captured behavior, Richard. Don't get to see this behavior up here, and the larger version shows well.

Registered on March 8, 2005, 315 Posts, 2291 Comments

Comment posted by Howard Cheek on February 22, 2011 at 7:37 AM

Always a big plus when you can get the bird doing something, the action/behavior here holds great interest Richard..I think anyone who loves shooting birds can identify with your fumbling storyline

I have noted that after 3 years of use, my Canon 1.4x extender does not snap/lock into place as it used to, must double check it now..
Very well done!

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

Comment posted by Ron Huff on February 22, 2011 at 3:19 PM

Very nice image. Good to know I am not the only one who gets excited shooting and forget to change the exposure comoensation.

Ron Huff

Registered on August 31, 2010, 69 Posts, 440 Comments

Comment posted by Mia McPherson on February 26, 2011 at 6:08 PM

Rich,

I really enjoyed seeing the other images you posted of this series on your blog and I am really enjoying seeing the behavior in this image too. Love the action, how the shrike pulling on the rodent impaled on the thorn adds a powerful tension and the light you were able to catch in the eye in the black mask too. Techs look great as always.

A powerful and compelling image. Excellent

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