Pair of Common Ravens, Antelope Island State Park, Davis County, UtahPair of Common Ravens – D200, f8, 1/750, ISO 400, EV +0.3, 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 400mm, natural light

When I lived in Florida I had a few nemesis birds, the American Oystercatcher was one of them. I tried and tried to get the images of them I wanted. They are challenging to photograph because of the whites, blacks and reds. One morning while photographing them on the beach I was able to get the photos of them I wanted.  After those first images, it seemed like every time I went to the beach to photograph birds I got wonderful images of the oystercatchers.

Then there were the Loggerhead Shrikes. The light wasn’t right, the birds were flighty, the angle was too steep, there were branches in the way. The list could go on for quite sometime. But then I got the shots I was looking for and another nemesis bird wasn’t a nemesis anymore. My portfolio now has a bounty of Loggerhead Shrike images.

For a long time I have wanted images of Common Ravens, they are intelligent birds, and a challenge to photograph. They are challenging to expose properly because of the blacks in their plumage plus they seem to stay just out of my reach. I see them, they take off. They stay around and the light is awful.  A nemesis bird for me.

A few weeks ago I took this image of a pair of Common Ravens perched in a Rabbitbrush on Antelope Island State Park. It isn’t perfect, I was too close to get full body shots and the ravens were obscured by the vegetation.

I won’t give up, I’ll keep trying to get the images of this species that I desire and then they will no longer be a nemesis bird for me.

Life is good.

Mia

Click here to see more of my Common Raven photos plus facts and information about this species.