[texbirds] LETE ground attack and air strike - physical fights; vicious like a wasp

From: MBB22222@xxxxxxx
To: texbirds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Date: Mon, 15 Apr 2013 15:52:07 -0400 (EDT)

Yesterday I could be the happiest man in the world, instead I am a very  
happy one. I spend a lot of time with Least Terns but had never seen any  
serious, physical fights between two of them.  Surely they can be  aggressive 
but everything always ended up with opponent fleeing right after  dominant 
bird shown first sight of aggression. Yesterday I witnessed a quite  vicious 
attack, not even one but two.   I was lucky with first one as  I had my camera 
ready and pointed in this direction. One LETE evidently had  something 
against his neighbor and after short run stubbed him with bill;  attacked bird 
fled.  I lowered my lens and was going to check taken photos  (already being 
happy just with the sighting) when (about 50s  passed from  the first 
attack) I noticed in corner of my eye fast flying LETE coming in  different way 
they usually approach ground when landing. There was no time for  thinking but 
still being excited I raised my camera, pointed into imaginarily  predicted 
aim (one LETE on the ground) and started taking photos. 
 
When I was acting purely on  reflex reaction (no time for even a  single 
thought analyzing the situation) my chumfo produced incredible  achievement, I 
caught in photos all scenes from the attack, a moment that lasted  only 
less then half second.  Unfortunately my cameraâs computer being a  
mechanical 
thing, so without any senses, acted much slower (when focus hunting)  and 
the first three taken frames were out of focus (first one being completely  
out). Next two frames were so so, so I cheated a little. By compressing large  
image into low resolution one can produce an illusion that photo is 
sharper.  With forth fame in perfect focus I put all 3 good images together 
showing 
what  happened in this short lasting strike; striking/stubbing and knocking 
down  opponent on the ground that fled right after.
 
http://www.pbase.com/mbb/image/149690494
 
And here is a photo illustrating the first, ground attack.
 
http://www.pbase.com/mbb/image/149690497
 
Mark B Bartosik
Houston, Texas
http://www.pbase.com/mbb/from_the_field

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[texbirds] LETE ground attack and air strike - physical fights; vicious like a wasp

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