This Grackle is on the watch or lookout for food, any handout will do. The lighter colors in the background are from sunlight on the water in the pond. One of the people I follow posted a shot of a male Grackle a few days ago, but I do not recall who it was or I would mention them. The male Grackles are more attractive than the females, they have an iridescence to their feathers, the color is intensified in certain lighting conditions. The females are a drab brown. I will post a shot of one soon.
This shot was taken on the 15th. No real photo ops today, except for a teeny, tiny grasshopper and the photos were blurred. It was an hour and thirty minutes drive home today, traffic was awful. Dry roads, good weather and wrecks all over the place.
I enjoy looking at flora and fauna and that is why I take so many photos of them. It is relaxing to me.
Thank you for your views and comments.
That was me Linda. I have no end of Grackles in my yard and they are always hungry. They can wipe out a large bird feeder full of seed in less than 2 hours. Nice close shot though. They have such weird eyes.
@caroleb Thanks! I posted one a year ago whom I was able to get closer to. Oddly enough, it was at the same pond. They have weird eyes for sure, it makes them look mean. The shots I have of a female really look aggressive. All she needs is a cowboy hat and an old west type gun belt. She is standing like she is ready for a fight or something. The females do not seem to be as bad as the males though.
What a great photo, Linda. I love the detail and that one eye and pretty colors in its wings. Wow, what a long drive home. We had a big wreck here early this morning. Still do not get how anyone can drive in the wrong direction on the freeway and he is not the driver who died, the other driver did.
That's a great capture. I love how when you see the thumb nail the bird is black, but you can actually see blue coloring in the feathers. One question I do have is the edges of the bird. It almost looks like you have some chromatic aberrations. Is this the original photo or was it cropped?
@darsphotos Thank you for the comment. I do not understand how they do it, but we have wrong way drivers all the time here. Some are driving under the influence, others may be overtired. But in any case, none of them should have been behind the wheel. I can understand how it can happen on city streets, but not on freeways when you have to go up a ramp on the opposite side of the road where you should be.
@vernabeth Thank you. Count yourself lucky. I had to stop feeding my little birds when the Grackles moved in and ran them off. They are so mean and run the song birds off (except for the Mockingbirds, they stayed).
@anthalas I noticed the aberrations and thought it might have been caused by leaving that UV filter on when I really did not need it. I had forgotten to take it off. It is cropped because somehow I did not get all of him in the shot and did not like it with him having legs and no feet. Have never had an issue with cropping before, I do it a lot.
@grannysue You are welcome for the comment. Growing up in San Francisco, there were a lot of one way streets and on occasion they would change the direction. I never remember any accidents though people drove slow on them. On the freeway is another story as both are going at a speed that demolishes cars. Sad that it happens where you live also. It was a 23 year old male that died here. Just sickening. I will never understand it either. It happens a bit too ofter here also. Stay safe on the road.
