Canada Geese that is. They poop all over everything; they fill the skies, they litter our parks, playgrounds, and roadways, and they can be downright ornery. They probably feel the same way about us though, except for the pooping everywhere. The habit they have that bugs me is that they won’t pose for a picture. Even in groups of a hundred they turn their back as soon as my approach is noted. Often they turn and walk away acting disgusted like I’m some annoying paparazzi. I’m just trying to make a picture of them looking regal and bold, which is tough when all you see is their backsides waddling away. Angry honks send scores of them into flight mode in an instant. I wonder if I ventured too close, was too loud, wore the wrong color clothes that made me look threatening, or even presented the odor of a predator. It remains a mystery.
For this picture I used a big long lens (300mm f/2.8) with a 2X teleconvertor, making my range 600mm. This was the first picture I took, I think it was before they noticed me. Then a fateful step that broke a twig, echoed through the air, sent the Canada Geese skyward.
Nikon D4 Sigma 300mm f/2.8 with 2X Tele @ 600mm f/9 ISO 6400 1/1250 sec