Between the sliding down the slopes on two planks I managed a few hours photography and bagged one of one of my favourite birds.
These choughs are so different to our native choughs - very intelligent and exceptionally bold. They have clearly worked out the skiers pattern of movement and messy feeding behaviour....., in winter they have a very set routine of behaviour; before 2.30 pm they simply disappear amongst the mountains looking for nesting ledges, and can occassionally be seen, or more likely heard displaying in pairs. They would congregate from 2.30 pm in the afternoon at the lift stations restaurants looking for their daily meal of chips. By 3pm they have become a the avian equivelent of hyenas, and by 4 pm all remnants of food has either been eaten or cleaned away and they disperse back into their breeding territories. - somewhat Gigrinesque!
In summer they are exceptionally difficult to locate and photograph and revert to true type foraging on grassy sword - despite numerous restaurants and huttes being open. I have occassionally happened upon family groups on my summer walking holidays but never been able to get close to them.
Olympus E-3, 50-200mm, iso 200, 1/350s at F5.6, ev+1, CW metering and cropped for presentation (slightly soft as its a long time since I have used this body and forgot to switch off IS for the first days in flight shots)
Posted by Rene de Heer on March 4, 2012 at 4:14 PM
Pretty good image with enough detail in the blacks.
Rene de Heer
Posted by Barry Southon on March 5, 2012 at 12:10 AM
Mike
A first class image of what is a very difficult species to find let alone record.
Yes they are bold, cheaky and downright ignorant at times. I watched them with glee on the Zugspitz stealing food from people PLATES! Nice to see one in flght.
Posted by David Sewell on March 5, 2012 at 11:29 AM
Looks good to me, Mike.
David
Posted by Nick Mckeown on March 5, 2012 at 3:27 PM
Great flight shot Mike. Looks very Raven like.......great blue sky......very envious!
Discussion
7 repliesThese choughs are so different to our native choughs - very intelligent and exceptionally bold. They have clearly worked out the skiers pattern of movement and messy feeding behaviour....., in winter they have a very set routine of behaviour; before 2.30 pm they simply disappear amongst the mountains looking for nesting ledges, and can occassionally be seen, or more likely heard displaying in pairs. They would congregate from 2.30 pm in the afternoon at the lift stations restaurants looking for their daily meal of chips. By 3pm they have become a the avian equivelent of hyenas, and by 4 pm all remnants of food has either been eaten or cleaned away and they disperse back into their breeding territories. - somewhat Gigrinesque!
In summer they are exceptionally difficult to locate and photograph and revert to true type foraging on grassy sword - despite numerous restaurants and huttes being open. I have occassionally happened upon family groups on my summer walking holidays but never been able to get close to them.
Olympus E-3, 50-200mm, iso 200, 1/350s at F5.6, ev+1, CW metering and cropped for presentation (slightly soft as its a long time since I have used this body and forgot to switch off IS for the first days in flight shots)
Rene de Heer
A first class image of what is a very difficult species to find let alone record.
David
Nick.
in the Pecos.
JR