Dramatic Mobbing Picture Sequence

[British Red]

There was some interest a while ago when I put an unusual picture of smaller birds "mobbing" a large raptor (on that occassion house martins mobbing a buzzard).

I treated myself to a trip out today and saw an amazing scene of mobbing - a crowd of corvids (I think they were crows but its hard to tell) mobbing a Bald Eagle! The shot was taken at the Hawk Conservancy (near Andover in Hampshire). Its a favourite place of mine since these are the guys that reintroduced Red Kites down here and run breed and release programmes for many native British raptors. They fly Bald Eagles from a hill several miles away and then call them in. The female was seriously mobbed by eight corvids who really gave her a good buffeting with their wings - so much so that she landed a mile away and refused to take of for a bit.

Here she is being attacked

Flying in after the crows left!

Not Happy!

Red

 

[crazyclimber]

Hi Red, really nice photos! The middle one's beautiful!

What do you make of the 400D for birds in flight?

I recently sold most of my camera kit for another project but the bugs still there, so shopping time again Was looking mostly at the 20/30/40D, but with images like that from a camera costing half the amount I'm seriously reconsidering!

Do you find it snappy enough; fast enough continuous shooting; big enough buffer etc? Does it handle focusing OK?

Even with the FOV crop factor I'm stunned you got the middle one with 135mm!!

 

[Too Much Kit To Carry]

FANTSATIC - thanks for sharring your wonderful photos mate :You_Rock_

Made my day

Phil.

 

[British Red]

cc,

Its more than enough camera for me! I find the rapid exposure speed fine. I tend to mostly use minimal zoom on the "in flight" stuff when they are shifting quickly (although I have used up to 400mm on a nice bright day). Focus speed is excellent compared to anything I've used before, but I've no real experience of the very latest pro gear so I'd suggest having a play in Jessops or the like!

Red

 

[crazyclimber]

Cheers!

I think the camera shop people in Hereford are beginning to get annoyed with me though. Have played with 30D, 400D, nikon D80, D200, pentax K10D, pentax K100D and most of the olympus 4/3 range at various stores... If you're going to get a new camera you might as well get one you like though!!

Please keep on posting if you take some more. This might not be a photography forum, but when you're stuck indoors working photos like those are exactly what's needed!

 

[British Red]

Since the bird amused - you might like to see the handler....

He really didn't want to get close!

Talk about being careful going for the jesses!

Don't blame him though!

Red

 

[topknot]

Hi mate,

Wow !. Really not happy.

 

[mazeman]

Cracking shots, thanks.

 

[john scrivy]

Red how do you allways end up in the right place at the right time for these photos ---- scrivy