Rumble on Hood

Gallery: AvianPosted January 7, 2012218 views14 comments

Hood Mockingbird stand-off. Two groups fighting each other. Had never witnessed two "teams" of birds fighting. Very interesting behavior. This was right before the attack, which was quite violent (yes, I kept shooting!).

Hood Island
1/5/2012
Canon 7D
300 f4 + 1.4 TC handheld
Manual mode
f 5.6
1/800 s
ISO 400

I was so happy when I went to Lightroom and saw there was not a single "blown" highlight. I'm learning. However - should the highlights be brought down here? It was very bright out.

ALL C&C much appreciated. Still learning!

Comments

14 comments

Comment posted by Rebecka on January 7, 2012 at 8:14 AM

Well now that I'm looking at it in a small version on the web, against the white background... the highlights look dark!

Registered on February 5, 2009, 170 Posts, 924 Comments

Comment posted by Ray Whitt on January 7, 2012 at 11:16 AM

The exposure looks fine to me. Great capture of this behavior, looks like quite the stand-off.

Ray

Registered on May 27, 2011, 92 Posts, 2619 Comments

Comment posted by Robert Bunch on January 7, 2012 at 12:33 PM

Exposure looks OK on my monitor also. Very interesting behaviorial shot. I didn't know birds had gangbangers and rumbles. Looks like the Sharks and the Jets are about to go at it. I hope you are planning to post some shots of the battle.

Registered on May 18, 2004, 124 Posts, 2503 Comments

Comment posted by Keith Bauer on January 7, 2012 at 1:04 PM

Hi Rebecka: Exposure looks fine to me on my calibrated system. Interesting behavioral shot.

Registered on November 20, 2003, 458 Posts, 4836 Comments

Comment posted by Brian Gatlin on January 7, 2012 at 2:28 PM

neat shot and composition, Rebecka. really interesting behavior. exposure looks fine to me.

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

Comment posted by Tonia Graves on January 7, 2012 at 3:32 PM

Rebecka, what a cool behavior to witness! Love how all of the mockingbirds are standing tall w/ their wings out (to make them look bigger?). They definately look like a tough crowd to run w/! Thanks for sharing this!

Registered on October 29, 2011, 92 Posts, 1035 Comments

Comment posted by Ron Bielefeld on January 7, 2012 at 4:31 PM

A very interesting shot that I like a lot. Looks like two football teams lining up against eachother. Neat stuff.

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

Comment posted by Eirini Pajak on January 7, 2012 at 5:35 PM

Wow...that is a really neat moment you caught! Bizarre that they fight in groups...did not know birds did that!

Registered on December 13, 2011, 216 Posts, 1671 Comments

Comment posted by Richard Ditch on January 7, 2012 at 5:38 PM

Fascinating! I've not seen gang behavior in birds before other than flocks of blackbirds mobbing a hawk or an owl.

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

Comment posted by Ken Archer on January 7, 2012 at 6:41 PM

I have seen birds fighting one on one like starlings or swallows, but nothing like this, I guess it's true that you learn something new every day. Incredible behavior photo you have here Rebecka, I would be interested in seeing one of the actual brawl. Sweet Photo

Ken Archer

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

Comment posted by Ron Dudley on January 7, 2012 at 7:37 PM

I too am fascinated by this behavior - a scene I'd love to witness. Exposure looks fine to me also.

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

Comment posted by Charlie VanTassel on January 7, 2012 at 9:23 PM

Geez, that's such a cool shot.

In this situation I might have taken a few quick panoramic shots so that I could get the tails of the birds on the left into the frame (stitch them together later). First shoot the birds on the left, then the birds on the right.. and turn it into one photo in PS. This would be a great panorama. Awesome.

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

Comment posted by Jim Hackley on January 8, 2012 at 10:04 PM

Very interestng behavior, I would of never guessed that mockingbirds would of went at each other like this, nice job in getting this, well done.

Registered on September 17, 2009, 302 Posts, 5535 Comments

Comment posted by May Haga on January 9, 2012 at 6:06 PM

Interesting interation. Neat image.
May

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