Bron's Photoblog
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Posted by Bron (Canberra, Australia) on 12 October 2007 in Animal & Insect.
Our wonderful magpies normally eat insects and their larvae - imagine my surprise when I disturbed this one with his treasure - a young rat!!! He flew with it onto the roof. I pointed my unprepared camera and....
e. from Washington DC, United States
oh my gosh! This is a fantastic capture. I didn't think that magpies ate rats.
12 Oct 2007 5:46am
@e.: Neither did I e - I don't think it could have hunted it - perhaps a raptor caught and lost it and the maggie is scavaging but I don't know!
@rem_la: oui, c'est triste rem_la :(
badala from Leiria, Portugal
Lots of humor in this shot, and the title is perfect. Thanks, you brought a smile to my day.
12 Oct 2007 6:25am
@badala: I'm glad that you like it badala - I like to make people smile :)
@Judy: Thanks for visiting Judy - I was very pleased to catch this!! :)
@tyan: I was in the Botanic Gardens in Adelaide tyan. I wandered past the bird on the ground, moved forward to see what it had in its beak - it flew (that's amazing too the rat must have made that awkward) onto the roof which luckily had a cool chimney pot thingie on it - a candid but pretty nice I thnk!
@Silvia: bloß glücklich Silvia! cheers Bron
Harald from Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Wow !!! That is the moment where every fotograf waits for. Congratulations.
12 Oct 2007 7:39am
@Harald: I agree Harald - the joy when I downloaded and there it was and IN FOCUS!! hurray!
Thanks so much, Bron
@Organik: Thanks Trudi - I have to agree - excellent luck was with me!! :)
Manuela Photography from Hainburg, Germany
Right on time to catch this unusual moment.
I am also curious, what were you doing?
12 Oct 2007 7:45am
@Manuela Photography: Just walking in the Adelaide Botanical Gardens Manuela - I like bird watching so I keep an eye on the locals - but this is unprecidented!!
Keneth from Singapore, Singapore
This is wonderful! You captured it at the right moment and the right time. :) The rat reminds me of Stuart Little. Haha.
12 Oct 2007 8:15am
@Keneth: Thanks Keneth
Oh no poor Suart Little -
I see what you mean!! Yikes!
Paulo Santos from Peso da Régua, Portugal
WOW! Superb capture! Great moment and framing!
12 Oct 2007 8:32am
@Paulo Santos: Thanks Paulo - high praise from you indeed!
Vanessa from Kent, United Kingdom
wow such a fab shot Bron and I found this little bit of info about Magpie's.
Meat eaters - like magpies, minors, ravens, need a high calcium intake, so tinned dog food is suitable with chick crumbles added, or grated cheese, and boiled egg. Wombaroo insectivore mix can also be added. Always find out what species you have, from a book or over the phone from a Vet, my self or other rescue workers, to ensure you are feeding the correct diet for the maximum chance of survival. I can help you with raising or recuperating anything for re-release in its own territory or with foster carers. Don't leave it too late to get advice.
This is the link.
http://www.communitywebs.org/MintonFarmAnimalRescueCentre/rescue.htm#birds_meat_eaters
And going by this next link, it isn't just small rats they attack either.
http://www.vorb.org.nz/video-view-76436.html
12 Oct 2007 10:01am
@Vanessa: WOW Vanessa - that is incredible! A magpie repeatedly attacking a car and someoneone happening to be filming!! My eyes are on sticks!!! I notice it's from NZ so must be introduced there.
I feed maggies at my back step and indeed they'll come inside unless I'm careful. On the othe rhand I've been attacked repeatedly outside work and had to lie flat on the ground until it got bored!
I love them though!
@Craiger: Cheers Craiger!
@Shahab: Thanks Shahab! :)
@rainsocks: Thanks rainsocks!! :)
Betsy Barron : www.thebetsy.com from Glenmoore, United States
ew! great capture... but, EW!
12 Oct 2007 12:06pm
@Betsy Barron : www.thebetsy.com: Hey Betsy - it's yummy rat-lunch!! Thanks pal! :))
cheers Bron
Monique from Koh Samui, Thailand
Argh ... poor little rat ... I love rats, if they're tame! Had a couple of them. But its a great picture and you're camera was preparede!
12 Oct 2007 1:13pm
@Monique: I love rats too - our kids had them for pets when little - no smell, gentle and cute. I suppose meat eating animals have no option! I love magies too - it's a wild world!
Thanks for visiting!
Amir from ?, Iran
Just have to say WOW, I am amazed at what you got. Very well done. National Geographic material
12 Oct 2007 1:23pm
@Amir: Wow Amir - thanks - that's very high praise indeed! Thaks pal!
Reza from Montreal, Canada
Nice shot but I don't like the scenes in which animals eat eachother!
12 Oct 2007 4:42pm
@Reza: Sorry Reza I hope I didn't offend you. Thanks for your comment. cheers Bron
@Stefan: RAotFLOL!!! Thanx Stefan!! :))
@HorseRotorVator: THANKS HRV!!!
@Blank: ah - then I've succeeded. Thanks for dropping silently by Blank! :)) lol
Lorraine from Gatineau, Canada
Oh Duchess, incredible catch, still feel sorry for the rat, but it's the order of things. Witnessing Life cycles, that's what photographers are for ;)
12 Oct 2007 6:28pm
@Lorraine: You must have bought me luck by coming back LL!!
When one can catch life "raw in tooth and claw" I say do it!
(It's a bit tame round here - few teeth and even fewer claws haha)
oh and even maggies are toothless (stop now Bron) :)
Barbara from Florida, United States
For being unprepared you captured an incredible shot! This is how nature works.
12 Oct 2007 8:10pm
@Barbara: Thanks Barbara - I carry my camera quite a bit but am seldom a sharp shooter. This day was tops!
Rabbit from Richmond, United States
WOW what a moment. Well i'm sure the bird is excited, thats quite a catch (for the both of you)
12 Oct 2007 10:57pm
@Rabbit: Well spotted Rabbit!! :)) cheers Bron
Claudio from Porto, Portugal
...and you achhieved to get a great shot congratulations
13 Oct 2007 12:23am
@Claudio: Thank you Claudio - you are most kind! :)
Emilio Garcia from Pleasanton, United States
A great shot and a perfect timing. How lucky could you be? I still feel sorry for the poor creature in trouble!
13 Oct 2007 1:02am
@Emilio Garcia: So do I Emilio, but it wasn't so much in my mind as I captured it~ Thanks for visiting and taking time to leave a comment!
@aggie: I know aggie I hope it didn't suffer.
@Shadowhawk: Wow Shadowhawk - that's SO KIND!! Thank you! cheers Bron :)
@jump: I'm glad you like it jump!!
@Sandrine: Thanks Sandrine! :)
bronzebilly u.k. from Barry,Vale of Glamorgan, United Kingdom
ho ho ho--what a superb "rat in a flash" image you got here Bron--excellent result pal--billypiedpiper
13 Oct 2007 11:04pm
@bronzebilly u.k.: Thank you Mr Piper!! :)
@Michael: Glad I've taken you breath away Michael!! haha
Markus from Reading, United Kingdom
Wow, Bron, what a price-worthy capture! Outstanding!
14 Oct 2007 6:15pm
@Markus: Hey - cool Markus - it was VERY lucky!
@Manuel Tendero Gil: BUENA UN SALUDO Manuel!! :))
amy from Rocky Mountain House, Canada
HOLY C***!! Fabulous capture, Bron!! (sorry I missed it Friday.. was laid low for a bit)
15 Oct 2007 12:45am
@amy: Wow Thanks amy!! I sure hope you're feeling 110% now!!! cheers B
@Daroru: Thanks Daroru - I was pretty delighted!
Sujyothi from Penang, Malaysia
hey Bron..i know its quite late a comment..but then i cudnt hold myself from appreciating the great timing!
5 Nov 2007 1:53am
@Sujyothi: Hi Sujyothi - it's never too late! I really appreciate your kindness for looking through my blog and taking precious time to comment! Cheers! It was a once in a lifetime capture!
ps I'll be back with more pix one day soon and will drop by your blog then!
Panasonic DMC-FZ30
1/160 second
F/5.6
ISO 80
420 mm (35mm equiv.)