[Leica] IMG: Grackles

[Ken Carney]

03 is great.  Grackles are always flying into our bird bath to soak 
stuff before they eat it.  Not many crawdads here though, unfortunately.

Ken

On 8/1/2015 11:02 PM, Doug Herr wrote:
> This morning (01 August) I visited the Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area between Davis and Sacramento, California; this is an area I visit frequently with varying degrees of success.  Today was one of the better days :)
>
> The first set of photos from today is a Great-tailed Grackle, a member of the Icteridae family (which include meadowlarks, red-winged blackbirds, orioles and others).  The grackle dropped into a pond where I had been observing another bird, and it began hunting for tasty invertebrates:
>
> http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/icteridae/quiscalus/gtgrac01.html
>
> What's this?  An ibis has done the work, all the grackle has to do is steal the crayfish
>
> http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/icteridae/quiscalus/gtgrac02.html
> http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/icteridae/quiscalus/gtgrac03.html
>
> with its prize underfoot
>
> http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/icteridae/quiscalus/gtgrac06.html
>
> Unlike the ibis, the grackle can't swallow the crayfish whole so is takes the crustacean apart to eat it
>
> http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/icteridae/quiscalus/gtgrac08.html
> http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/icteridae/quiscalus/gtgrac07.html
> http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/icteridae/quiscalus/gtgrac04.html
>
> Technical stuff: Sony a7II, Canon FD 500mm f/4.5 L, Leitz (on-topic!) 14188 shoulder stock, old green truck.  All comments welcome.
>
> Doug Herr
> Birdman of Sacramento
> http://www.wildlightphoto.com
> http://doug-herr.fineartamerica.com
>
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