Common Grackle Flying Across the River

[PixelRabbit]

Well we are in a heat wave here at home so I decided to take advantage of the shade this morning and sat by the river for a while. These guys are considered nuisance birds but I still love their iridescent colours and intense yellow eyes.

Finding the right composition for birds over the water like this always feels like a challenge.
C&C always welcome and appreciated!

 

[PixelRabbit]

"wanders in with coffee for a morning bump"

 

[Forkie]

I love the Grackle. Such a great name and they are stunning and very intelligent birds! On holiday in the Dominican Republic a couple of months ago, they would come down to the cafe, take the sugar sachets off the table, hold them down with their feet and neatly tear the top off, then eat the sugar straight out of the sachet!

As far as I'm concerned, there are no nuisance birds, just irritable people!

Nice shot! I might have corrected the white balance a bit, it looks a little yellow.

 

[northierthanthou]

Very cool pic. ...never heard of that bird before.

 

[PixelRabbit]

Thanks Forkie and Northierthanthou

I love the Grackle. Such a great name and they are stunning and very intelligent birds! On holiday in the Dominican Republic a couple of months ago, they would come down to the cafe, take the sugar sachets off the table, hold them down with their feet and neatly tear the top off, then eat the sugar straight out of the sachet!

As far as I'm concerned, there are no nuisance birds, just irritable people!

Nice shot! I might have corrected the white balance a bit, it looks a little yellow.

That's so cool that they learned that behavior! I love them too, they are frequent visitors to the feeders here and they are always trying to get into trouble with everyone on the river and pond. I got to watch some goslings make their first trip down the river and a Grackle followed them the whole way trying to sneak a grab but Mom and Dad did a good job keeping it at bay.

I agree about the irritable people lol I'd say that we tend to be a more of a nuisance to wildlife than they ever are to us.

I'm not sure about the white balance, the river water is tea coloured and the Grackle looks pretty accurate to me but I'm not always the best judge lol I'll play and see what I come up with

 

[Joel_W]

Judi, I really like your composition: Simple, yet effective. The two tone water complements the Grackle with that blue area right behind the head. And as a kicker the wing movement. Nicely done.