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Midgefest
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Midgefest

by Bob McQuade

Gallery: AvianPosted April 19, 201497 views5 comments
D800 600mm ISO 280 F8 1/1500 handheld

Ever since I first saw one in a Montana wetland many, many years ago, I have always wanted to get some decent shots of a yellow headed blackbird, a very different bird for someone who lived all his life in the east.

Today I hit the jackpot on Bridgeport Reservoir in California. There is a newly arrived flock feasting on a midge hatch not 30 feet from where my motorhome is parked.

Comments

5 comments
Comment posted by Rick Cloran on April 19, 2014 at 5:51 PM
Cool shot. All of the techs look good to me and the detail shows well in the larger version. With the D800 you might be able to do a crop to just the bird on the left that is reaching up to snag that midge. I would love to see that one. I think it would be super on its own. :toast:
Registered on April 6, 2004, 119 Posts, 1989 Comments
Comment posted by Philip Hodgkins on April 19, 2014 at 7:54 PM
Lovely detail, color and action. The one impatient bird reaching for a midge and the complacent one waiting for one to get close tickles me. The poop perch leaves a lot to be desired, but the birds seem happy with it! :biggrin: :toast:
Registered on July 24, 2006, 2741 Posts, 12349 Comments
Comment posted by Dennis Plank on April 19, 2014 at 10:14 PM
Wonderful poses and action, Bob. A very nice job on the exposure and excellent detail. Well done. If you come up on I-5, check the River S loop at Ridgefield NWR. There's a colony on the left in the cattails and sometimes one will perch nicely beside the road.

:toast:
Registered on January 28, 2008, 1767 Posts, 23192 Comments
Comment posted by Charlie VanTassel on April 20, 2014 at 12:10 AM
Sounds like a nice road trip....

Nice details, Bob... and I like the action. If you're going to be there for a while maybe you can tie another perch to this fence. These guys can be hard to get sometimes and worth working on while you've got the opportunity. :toast:
Registered on October 18, 2006, 644 Posts, 4801 Comments
Comment posted by Kurt Bowman on April 20, 2014 at 9:50 PM
Really cool behavior you managed to capture here Bob...very cool.
Registered on June 19, 2008, 1005 Posts, 8028 Comments