Roadrunner

Ron NiebruggeAnza-Borrego, California, Photos, Travel 19 Comments

Roadrunner, Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, California.

Greater Roadrunner, Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, California.

I photographed this guy this morning at first light.  I watched him catch a kill a small bird – it was a bit gruesome, but at the same time a bit fascinating, these birds are some hunters.  You can see the residual feather on the end of his bill.

Comments 19

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    Thanks a lot guys!

    Good question Rolf, I was going to start providing that information. It was with a 600 and and 2x converter, Canon 1Ds III, at f/8, 320 of a second and ISO 640.

    Ron

  8. When living in Borrego, as a kid, we saw these cool birds.. I had no idea they ate other birds! Very nice shot.. FYI: I lived on the DiGiorgio Ranch, I am sure it is not by now.. The photos are fantastic eye candy!! Keep you eyes peeled for arrowheads, they used to be aplenty around Coyote Creek/Canyon.

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    Thanks a lot everyone!

    @ Mark This would have been an interesting place to grow up. We are camping on DeGiorgio Road, but I’m not familiar with where the ranch is located. I didn’t know these guys feed on birds either – it took the bird and repeatedly slammed it on the ground and then ate it. I will have to watch for arrowheads – never seen one outside a museum.

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    Thanks Adrian! This was an adult.

    Richard – forgot to response to your question – I did get a few of the kill, but it was much further away, and I had the 100-400 on at the time, so they are pretty much useless.

  17. This is such a beautiful shot, Ron — the colors are awesome in that morning light! It must have been fascinating to see it in the hunt. I had never thought of them as being predatory like that, but just looking at that bill it makes sense.

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