Capturing fast flight

Juvenile Starling - I was quite taken with the spots :)

So after all my efforts to capture the fast little waxeyes in flight, I have decided the shots don't really excite me all that much. I prefer the image with more character. They are such quirky little birds with the cutest of faces that just make you want to go "awwww", but when in flight they are just another bird flying. How sad is that :)

Female Sparrow

Over the last few months that I have been photographing the waxeyes in my backyard, I have come to know some of them.  There is one that has small white feathers sticking out on the side - she seems to be a prolific breeder as we have seen several clutches of chicks from her since spring - and there is 'broken beak'. Broken beak is named because of one of his deformities. He has half the bottom of his beak broken off, and he is missing a couple of claws on his feet. He comes daily for food and is probably only alive because of the easy food supply.

'Broken Beak' leaping to another perch

Broken beak is also no stranger to the camera. Whenever I am striving to get a particular shot of the  birds when it comes time for processing nine out of ten shots will be of him. He is not as flighty as the others and will sit longer on the tree branches before jumping up to the feeders. He waits his turn and in that time I get to fire off the camera. I can't see it is him from a distance so end up taking huge amounts of shots of the same bird, which of course I don't want to do!

'Broken Beak' again during lift-off

I must do some research on the life span of the waxeyes, as this little guy has obviously decided to make this home and expects to be fed. I am sure winter would be harder for him than right now when there is an abundance of food about - time will tell as to whether he keeps visiting the feeder or not.

'Broken Beak' in flight

'Broken Beak' in flight