Bird Photo Competition 2 2016 : Entry Number 150

In general, birds do a relatively good job of resolving their inevitable conflicts through threat displays and other mildly aggressive behaviors. Occasionally, though, escalation to more physical violence does occur, providing good opportunities for well-prepared photographers. In this case, what initially appears to be a simple squabble between two herons can be seen, on closer inspection, to be much more serious, with blood spurting from the speared lower mandible of one of the birds. Capturing this moment as well as this is an exceptional achievement.

About myself: I am Morten Schiodt, a Maxillofacial Surgeon (jaw surgeon), 69 years old, doing bird photography in my spare time. I have been taught by Bence Mate, Hungary (cf. his website, hide photography, BBC prize winner) and Allan Guido Nielsen, a Danish bird photographer.

Picture information: Two fighting blue herons taken at the ”Theater”, a hide at Bence Mates Farm in Puztazer, Hungary on February 08, 2016 at 15.18.39 p.m. My camera is Canon 5D Mark III. My lens is Canon 200-400 f/4 L IS USM int. Converter 1.4. The picture was taken with aperture F/4, Exposure 1/1600 sec at 200 mm, ISO 2000.

The story: There are many birds feeding at this hide including blue herons, white egrets and cormorants. Sometimes also spoon bills. Nearly every day an eagle come by and takes a fish, then the other birds often leave for a while. Two blue herons were fighting, the one on the left, the victim screaming, while the agressor knocked the other down and grapped his neck and dived him under the water and stamped on him. Then he stabbed his lower jaw and the beak went through the floor of the mouth where blood and saliva spirted up. The dramatic events were evident from the fight and the scream, but the details could only be seen afterwards analysing the pictures, since everything happened very fast. I took 20 pictures over this drama taking place over 13 secs. 15.18.37-15.18.50 on the 8th of February 2016.

This picture, apart from the dramatic effect, has a particular meaning for me working with jaw surgery and being used to such dramatic events of trauma to humans, thus a particular co-incidence!