Northwestern Crow

While the experts argue about whether this is really a separate species, it certainly acts differently than the common crow in many respects.  In the tidal zone of Big Beef Creek and other estuaries, it is a primary predator of shellfish and other smaller fish, while other species, such as Great Blue herons, Eagles and gulls are happy to steal from it, (though they're not above stealing from one another).  As the tide goes out, they start with small shellfish and later forage for smallish stranded fish-mostly Sculpin in this area.

David Schoen and I had wandered to the end of the beach nearest the river (and furthest from the bulk of the paparazzi) when this one brought in a clam from further out, dropped it to break it open and then carried it to a convenient rock at just over minimum focal distance from us to consume it.

7Dii, Sigma 150-600 C @ 435 mm, hand held, f/8, 1/1600, iso 640, manual exposure.  Processed in LR & PS CC.  I raised the exposure of the crow a little bit (with the black crow and pale shells, this filled the entire histogram) and lowered the exposure of the bg very slightly as well as desaturating it just a bit.  The perch and clam I left alone.  Taken June 22nd at 7:11 am.

Your comments and criticisms are greatly appreciated.

Thanks,