Time has slipped up on me, so here’s my one and only offering for the WC. A version of this was on NPN1 in 2017. When I’m out at Bosque the usual focus is on the Sandhills as first choice, and Snow Geese when opportunities arise. However, on more recent trips the huge numbers of Red-winged Blackbirds have held my interest. I love how these and other flocks fly in such huge numbers, so often in near perfect formation. But whenever there’s a mass takeoff it’s not always so well organized, because invariably a Northern Harrier is the disruption. Unfortunately this guy was flying out of frame, but at least on approach and fairly visible. Full frame image.
7D2, 400 DO Mk II with 1.4x, Wimberley I, ISO400 1/2000 f/6.3 0.0EV
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Very good, Bill. I like the Distribution of the blackbirds throughout the frame. At least most of them look like they’ve decided on a common direction. Other bird’s reactions to harriers always interest me since I have never seen one actually take a bird, though I’m sure they wouldn’t pass one up. The palette in this image is particularly appealing.
The mass of blackbirds and their reason for flying show very well here, Bill. I’ve seen a Harrier take a bird on the ground and tried (unsuccessfully) to ID the prey from the feathers left behind. The swaths of oof color in the background add a fine “artistic” touch.
Thanks @Dennis_Plank and @Mark_Seaver for having a look. Mark, good that you saw that action. Like Dennis, I’ve never seen such action, but a photographer I know was there at the time, and one of her clients had earlier actually gotten a frame of one taking a bird in flight! We should all be so lucky 
Dennis, unlike this more organized frame, I’ve occasionally seen and captured the flocks in utter chaos. And like your Snow Goose image, it’s not surprising that a few might get into midair collisions.
The sharpness of the multitude against the lovely background colors makes this very appealing. I just noticed the menacing hawk on the left, which adds more to the story. Interesting that you can’t see any of the red on the wings, but it may just be the angle. Great choice for the WC.
Kathy, it’s interesting you bring that up about the lack of red epaulets. I’m not sure, but maybe most were female, or juveniles(?) On another frame I found just one or two with vague transitioning plumage.
I really like this, Bill. DOF is perfect. THe birds really stand out against the OOF BG. The included interloper tells a nice story, but I also think another great image could be had by cloning it out. Not better, just different.
