Cuckoo Shrikes

[Isac]

These Black Faced Cuckoo Shrikes were playing around and getting bugs from my neighbours lawn. Very entertaining.
#1

... and then the Willie Wagtail came in to let them know it was his patch.
#2

#3

[avkomp]

good action captured here. love how willies will take on just about anything.
well done

[Isac]

Thanks Stephen. I only noticed these shrikes a few years ago so they appear to be gradually accepting of suburbia.

[wigz]

Excellent action Isac. Is #1 a composite or single shot.

[Isac]

I dropped in a new sky and it looked better than the original grey sky. I couldn't get a shot with them all close enough for the frame, so I brought them all closer together. I shot the Willie the next day and it was a clear blue sky.

[wigz]

I thought it looked too good to be true. Very effective though. Well done.

[MJ224]

All good, but the first does it for me. Could be great caption there..............Perhaps "Take more water with it next time"...

[Isac]

.... or "I'll just fly down and get another bug"

[Ralph]

These in my books are one of the hardest birds to capture as in the colour contrast in the face to body.
As in your 2nd shot the face looks slightly washed out but to get it all to work this has to happen from time to time to get the shot to work.
This is to why I think these and the Hooded Robin are quite hard to get right all the time.
Wonderful shot.

[Ozzie_Traveller]

G'day mate

an excellent series - and the facial in #3 is superb

Phil

[AlfandBen]

Another good series. Great work on #1

[David_MC]

Nice shots. Looks like the others threw the middle one off in the first one.

[Isac]

These in my books are one of the hardest birds to capture as in the colour contrast in the face to body. As in your 2nd shot the face looks slightly washed out but to get it all to work this has to happen from time to time to get the shot to work. This is to why I think these and the Hooded Robin are quite hard to get right all the time. Wonderful shot.

Thanks Ralph. You're not wrong with how hard it is to get the exposure right because of the pitch black head and light grey body. The only way I can get it reasonable is in PP.

G'day mate. An excellent series - and the facial in #3 is superb. Phil

The willies are not afraid of any other birds Phil and they are also very territorial, especially in Spring. I have a photo of them attacking an Australian Hobby (little falcon) and it just sat there like a stunned mullet. Those images were lost but I'll keep searching my backups.

Another good series. Great work on #1

Thanks A&B. I do love to play with composites, just to keep the mind engaged.

Nice shots. Looks like the others threw the middle one off in the first one.

Thanks David, wanna add a caption?

[David_MC]

Rehearsal was not going well for the avian Cirque du Soleil.

[Isac]

You're a funny man!