| Actual Image
The Destroyer (90)
japie
![Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1814 W: 100 N: 1904]](http://i1.treknature.com/misc/g-g-g.gif) (5187) | The destroyer – of rats, cameras and photographers. When I saw this chap diving to catch something I ran to get between him and the sun so that I could get the best light. Keeping my eyes on him (only) I ran into a large pole at the entrance to the hide which I’m sure wasn’t there before! The impact sent my camera flying with me diving to catch it. I did mange to catch the camera, but the impact broke the hot-shoe of my flash ($100 to repair).
He must have felt sorry for me as he landed on the tip of dead tree about 40m away, looking directly at me, but still clutching his rat. The wind was behind him pushing his feathers forward as can be seen in the capture, but most importantly – HE HAD HIS RAT AND I HAD MY CAMERA,ONE SHOT OF HIM AS WELL AS A RATHER LARGE BRUISE!
I have posted a Black Shouldered Kite
before but I will repeat its vital statistics, I owe him at least that.
Black-shouldered Kite (127)
A common, grey and white raptor with a black shoulder. Size 33 cms - larger than a laughing dove. Afrikaans: Blouvalk.
The upperparts are bluish grey, with black wing coverts which appear as a distinctive, black shoulder patch. The underparts are white. There is a small black mask around the eye. Young birds have a reddish-brown wash on the head and breast and the feathers of the upperparts are tipped white. The bill is short with a sharp, hooked tip to the upper mandible. The bill is black, while the feet and legs, and the cere (skin at the base of the bill) are bright yellow. The eye is dark red in adults and brownish-orange in immature birds.
The Black-shouldered Kite is a common and obvious bird of the open veld and farming areas. It is usually seen perched on telephone- or power pylons or lines, In the absence of natural or man-made perches, it is able to hunt by hovering on upturned wings about 50 meters above the ground. When prey is sighted, the kite "parachutes" gracefully straight down into the grass. Black-shouldered Kites are highly nomadic - moving about in search of rodent prey.
The Black-shouldered kite eats mainly rodents as well as small birds and insects.
Breeding occurs all year round with a peak in the summer months. The nest is a small platform of sticks about 30cm in diameter, which is placed near the top of a tree in a fork.
The camera settings:
Program Setting: Shutter Priority
Focal Length: 500mm
F Stop: F/10
Shutter Speed: 1/500 sec
ISO: 200
Tripod: No
Flash: NO!
Reflective Panel: No
Cable release: No |
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