Mikepércs: Shrikes IV.

It was a week ago when I took shots of the shrike family, I was wondering what has changed since. Early in the morning I was already sitting out in the hide and waiting for their appearence. However nothing happened for long. Sometimes I could hear their voice but not from nearby. It's impossible that they won't settle at all on the landing branch! Of course it is! After 7 the youngs landed on the branch, then the feeding took place:

Red-backed Shrikes

Young Red-backed Shrikes

The female settled for a short time as well:

Red-backed Shrike (female)

Red-backed Shrike (female)

The youngs hunted more and more by themselves, they appeared on the landing branch with different kind of insects:

Young Red-backed Shrike

Young Red-backed Shrike

Young Red-backed Shrike

Young Red-backed Shrike

Red-backed Shrike (male)

Mikepércs: Magpies

Today a visited the pond again. I wondered if there would be a lot of birds again as there were last time.
When I got there many birds were feeding or just having a rest on the pond. The usual coots, black-winged stilts, black-headed gulls, sandpipers and ducks.
I managed to catch this stilt by good lights:

Black-winged Stilt

Then a magpie landed close to my hide followed by another one soon. It turned out what attracted them here, a corpse of a bird:

Magpie

The magpies tasted it, sometimes flew away to return soon. Being near the corpse they hardly tolerated each other:

Magpie

Magpie

Unfortunately the light conditions were not good so I wasn't able to make good shots of them.
Meanwhile a common sandpiper got close to my hide as well:

Common Sandpiper

This time however most of the birds didn't come close. I decided to move the hide a little further where the birds were more active and perhaps the surroundings are better too. Next time I'll have a try there.

Mikepércs: Shrikes III.

Today I went on with the shrike photography. The female landed first again ...:

Red-backed shrike (female)

... then came the youngs demanding the breakfast bites, ...:

Young red-backed shrike

... which had been carried soon by it's father:

Red-backed shrikes

Young red-backed shrike

Young red-backed shrikes

The top of the landing branch proved to be a good observation place as the male would monitor the insects from that point. The youngs were very impatient on such times:

Red-backed shrikes

However they hadn't to wait long for the arrival of the next insect:

Red-backed shrikes

Red-backed shrikes

Red-backed shrikes

Impatience has no bounds: this young bird is pecking it's parent's toes:

Red-backed shrikes

Red-backed shrikes

Red-backed shrikes

Red-backed shrikes

Red-backed shrikes

Red-backed shrikes

The youngs often hunt themselves too, but sometimes blunder.

Young red-backed shrike

Red-backed shrike (male)

"I'm so hungry that I'm eating even the lichen":

Young red-backed shrike

Young red-backed shrike

"Daddy, get some worm now, ok?":

Red-backed shrikes

Young red-backed shrike

"I've got this myself!":

Young red-backed shrike

"Shall we share this?":

Young red-backed shrikes

"You said we should share it!!!":

Young red-backed shrikes

"Who shall I give this to?":

Red-backed shrikes

Red-backed shrikes

Here comes the food:

Young red-backed shrikes

In flight ...:

Red-backed shrikes

Young red-backed shrike

Quarreling a bit:

Young red-backed shrikes

Red-backed shrikes

"I've caught it myself too":

Young red-backed shrike

Young red-backed shrikes

Red-backed shrike (male)

Here comes another bite:

Red-backed shrikes

Red-backed shrikes

"I can hold this beetle with my foot":

Young red-backed shrike

Young red-backed shrike

This young bird had noticed a beetle on the branch.
"Here crawls my snack!":

Young red-backed shrike

"But I can't pinch it!":

Young red-backed shrike

"Let's change my position":

Young red-backed shrike

Young red-backed shrike

"It must have stuck to the branch!":

Young red-backed shrike

Young red-backed shrike

And the beetle held the branch so strong that the shrike was unable to pinch it. But it didn't needed it any more because the old bird had got another bite. But it's not an insect everything that flies:

Red-backed shrikes

Red-backed shrikes

Red-backed shrikes

"You have dropped it, my son!":

Red-backed shrikes

"Here you are! Hold it well now!":

Red-backed shrikes

Red-backed shrikes

Red-backed shrikes

Young red-backed shrike

Then arrived the following bites:

Red-backed shrikes

Red-backed shrikes

Red-backed shrikes

Red-backed shrikes

Red-backed shrikes

I've had another successful day and I've been able to record nice scenes. I wonder if the parents will be feeding the youngs after a week too? Because they are getting to hunt themselves as well. I will see it next week...