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Birds

Wildlife Images of Birds in Botswana and the rest of Africa
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Lightning Reactions
5 / 32

Lightning Reactions

Little Bee-eater, Moremi Game Reserve, Botswana, Botswana

BirdBirdsBotswanaLittle BeeeaterMoremiPlacesWeb Category

  • With a storm approaching, I was scanning the horizon for something to photograph against the foreboding sky, when I spotted a fish eagle perched on a dead camelthorn tree with a terrapin clasped in its talons. The amphibian was proving a tough nut to crack and, to complicate matters, swirling gusts of wind were buffeting the exposed bird, practically toppling her from her perch. I had to balance my shutter speed selection in order to achieve both a sharp subject but also allow some movement to portray the swirling winds. When a sudden gust forced the raptor to raise a wing I knew I had the opportunity I was waiting for. Soon afterwards, she lost her grip and the terrapin tumbled to the ground, uneaten.
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