Cormorant Food-fight!

I was at Anhinga Trail (Everglades, near Florida City, FL) a week and a half ago, and had fun shooting some feeding activity of the Double-crested Cormorants down there. The first image is one of my favorites from this trip, and clearly shows what I believe is a Blue Tilapia in the possession of a cormorant:



Some other cormorants feeding in the area soon saw the catch, and came after it. The resulting action was fast and furious, so much so that at the time I had no idea if any of my shots would be worth keeping. These second two aren't quite as "clean" as the first, but definitely demonstrate the action:





Canon 1DMk2
Canon 600L/f4 IS with 1.4x II Teleconverter
ISO 500, f/5.6, 1/2000 second (Manual Exposure)
Gitzo 1329/ArcaSwiss B1/Wimberley Sidekick

Comments always welcome.

Hi Don,

Good catch (by both you and the cormorant). I noticed you expose on Manual, what's your focusing technique?

Bart

Beautiful captures Donald. I really enjoyed the first, especially the different colors in the opposing eyes. Tell me, did he ever get to swallow the fish? I hope so because from what I have read, those fish are very devastating to the natural fisheries down there.

Hi Bart,

Thanks.

I have AutoFocus relocated to the "*" button, which I engage/disengage with my thumb. The Center Focus Point is manually selected. I keep the camera in AI Servo, which gives me the ability to track movement by keeping my thumb down, or the equivalent of OneShot by focusing and releasing the * button. Works very well for the type of stuff I shoot.

James Newman said:

Beautiful captures Donald. I really enjoyed the first, especially the different colors in the opposing eyes. Tell me, did he ever get to swallow the fish? I hope so because from what I have read, those fish are very devastating to the natural fisheries down there.

Click to expand...

Thanks, James, and I agree - the contrasting eye color and juxtaposition add a lot to the appeal of this image.

I think the fish got eaten by someone, although amidst all the action, it wasn't at all clear whether it was the original one that caught it or not. It seemed like the fish had pretty much had it by then, so its survival was already settled before the food fight broke out.

And the exotic species are apparently creating trouble down there, as in so many other places. I have other shots from this trip of a Great Blue Heron with a Walking Catfish, another invader, in its beak:

Nice work!

Nice color on the fish!

I tuned into this channel because "Cormorant" was in the title. I am reading The Living Great Lakes and the comeback story of the cormorant in the great lakes area was featured in a recent chapter.

Just an FYI for anyone interested in the ecological, weather, and exploratory history of the great lakes region, this book is surprisingly well written. I first saw the book mentioned at The Online Photographer: http://theonlinephotographer.typepad.com/the_online_photographer/2007/11/lake-huron.html

That first shot is great and creepy!

Thanks - David, Ed and Shane.

Ed - the Cormorants are so plentiful down here, it's hard to imagine them needing a comeback anywhere!

Thats right! The book also talks about the control efforts underway around here. There has been legislation passed permitting the use of a substance (I forget the name) to interrupt their reproductive cycle in specific breeding areas now.

Excellent Capture...

Hi Donald, excellent capture here mate. Well spotted !! I am amazed that a bird with such a thin neck can swallow one of those fish whole.

Great colours and definition.

Barry

Thanks, Barry. And I agree - it's remarkable how various creatures (birds and snakes in particular) can swallow such large prey whole!