I had the day off today… Ginger, did not… So I had to entertain myself. And since the local fairways still have anywhere between 2-6” of the white still on them, golf was pretty much out of the equation.
So, I picked up the Nikon, a couple of lenses, and out I went.
It was the tale of two subjects today, Birds and Trains. Don’t ask… I have no idea how those relate in any way shape or form except to say, they both ended up at the business end on my focus. This post will be dedicated to the birds part.
I first started my day at the south end of the “Mary Carter Greenway Trail” along the South Platte River. Much to my dismay there was not too much there that I found captivating. After strolling along the river’s edge for about an hour will little to show for my efforts except muddy shoes, I headed back toward the car along the bike path. I spied a small pond (Red Tail Lake I think it was) where a few odd ducks were paddling along. Not your typical Mallards, so I set up and took a couple of images.
Pretty cool looking little fella if you ask me… any Anatidae Ornitholigists out there want to enlighten us on the species… please do.
And that was all for the Nature Hike… Next, off to find me some industrial might! Trains! But… as this is the Bird post… allow me to fast forward in my day.
While I was along the Union Pacific’s Engine Maintenance Yards snapping images of trains, I looked up and noticed a bit of a Dog Fight developing… or Bird Fight if you will…
Appears that a Bid of Prey (possibly an Osprey) strayed into a certain Raven’s territory.
FIGHT’S ON!
“Jester” begins at the Osprey’s 6 O’clock high… things aren’t looking good for our hero, “Do some of that Pilot Sh!t Mav”!
Mav sweeps the wings and selects max blower!
But just as “Jester” shoves the throttles forward, “Mav” pulls the Throttles to Idle, and pops the boards! (That’s speedbreaks you friggn’ leg!) Jester overshoots!
“Mav” sweeps the wings forward, and despite a KO’d Left Aileron takes charge of the fight! Reversal! Commin’ Right!
Now with Mav on Jester’s Six, Jester starts squawking about the “Hard Deck” or something like that!
Mav tries desperately not to overshoot his prey, but is finding he has too much grunt on…
Flaps and Slats! Try a rolling scissors!
Shoot! Too Late!!! Jester pulls in the vertical plane for a High Yo Yo!
Crap! Damn TF-30s! and their spool time!!!
When in doubt, maneuver! Crap forgot about that aileron!
Our Lady of Blessed Acceleration, don't fail me now!
You’re dead kid! “The defense department regrets to inform you your kids are dead cuz they were stoopid!”… “Great Balls of Fire!”
Knock it off! Let’s go home… Maverick has the lead!
After this last shot the two birds actually split up the the raven breaking right… What you cannot see in these images (and because he was directly in the sun, was Maverick's wingman getting ready to roll-in for the assist. Cool stuff in the skies over Denver today.
That would be a Hooded Merganser duck, male.
Plebe....
Posted by: Tim | February 27, 2012 at 06:19 PM