Mark McKinney
December 2024 - Untitled
About the Image(s)
I set up a crude arrangement to attract birds to my back yard. I have a bird feeder and a suet feeder.
Things were going along nicely till the Starlings found us. There must have been a hundred. I have been
Shooting ice cubes at them. It does scare then. Since my ice cubes are crescent shaped, they are not
aerodynamic. Being a Vietnam Veteran I am prepared to escalate.
Pentax K3 Mark III, Pentax DA 50 -135 mm. F4, 1/200th second. ISO 200.
8 comments posted
Hi Mark,
What a fun capture! I like it. That looks like a band-tailed pigeon hovering over a white-crowned sparrow. Is it the pigeons who are flocking to your yard, or starlings?
In any case, it is a humorous image. The unsuspecting sparrow looks as if the pigeon is just about to pounce on it! In reality, that type of pigeon eats acorns. I get flocks of them on my property. Posted: 12/03/2024 02:54:44
What a fun capture! I like it. That looks like a band-tailed pigeon hovering over a white-crowned sparrow. Is it the pigeons who are flocking to your yard, or starlings?
In any case, it is a humorous image. The unsuspecting sparrow looks as if the pigeon is just about to pounce on it! In reality, that type of pigeon eats acorns. I get flocks of them on my property. Posted: 12/03/2024 02:54:44
Mark...this just in! My husband says the way to get flocks of birds to leave is to take down the bird feeder for a few days. The "flockers" are likely just migrating through. Once they are gone, you should be able to continue feeding the "normal" birds.
Posted: 12/06/2024 17:24:24
Posted: 12/06/2024 17:24:24
This is wonderful news. I took the bird feeder down two days ago. My pellit gun arrived in AM. I put a container of bird feed on the ground. I also have clay round balls for my sling shot. Posted: 12/06/2024 20:57:05
Hey Mark, I was drafted right out of medical school but the week I was supposed to go in and be in a MASH unit, probably, they cancelled the war and the draft. I am a good shot otherwise. I once hit a bird down the block with a CO2 pistol and watched it fall to the ground. Never thought I could. I felt sick. Don't do it.
The Photo sure tells a story and shows action. The colors are so bright, vivid and look accurate. Interesting. Posted: 12/15/2024 22:19:22
The Photo sure tells a story and shows action. The colors are so bright, vivid and look accurate. Interesting. Posted: 12/15/2024 22:19:22
These are starlings. I have lots of doves and they are a pain; but I will not shoot them. Posted: 12/16/2024 00:25:21
Hey Mark, this photo really tells the story by itself. It is an interesting photo by capturing this fun moment. I also like the blurred background which help to lead the eye at the front bird. Well done! Posted: 12/18/2024 13:02:23
Great capture Mark, your image makes me smile. I really like how you caught the white crowned sparrow. I get them in the winter sometimes, but they never seem to leave the ground so I never get a good shot. You caught this little guy in the right pose showing off his "crown". You have a nice perch also. Too bad the "photo bomb bird" tried to get into your shot. Nice fun shot--good work. Posted: 12/18/2024 15:23:58
I liked it better because of the phoot bomb. Posted: 12/18/2024 16:33:07