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PAGE 4 The Story Behind the Photo By Dick Cronberg Whenever I display photos for sale I’m always asked, “How did you get


that shot?” So here is the “Story Behind the Shot”. When I go out to “find” potential photos I always look for the unusual.


It could be two deer fighting, a mother bird feeding the young ones, a Coy- ote chasing a rabbit or countless other scenarios. But as you can see with this shot, it isn’t always wild animals. Sheep are sheep and they certainly aren’t wild. But birds that take ad-


vantage of the pests that inhabit sheep’s wool are wild. In Africa the Cattle Egret is known for landing on Elephants and other


large mammals to eat the various pests that live there. I think we all have seen photos of these birds standing on Rhinos and Cape Buffalos.


DECEMBER 2013


What’s interesting however is


that these same Cattle Egrets have migrated to North America and now perform the same task as they do in Africa. The only dif- ference is that there doesn’t seem to be any Elephants or Rhi- nos here! But, there are sheep! Another interesting thing is


that other species of birds seem to be able to “learn” how to get a tasty, quick meal by imitating the Cattle Egrets. While exploring one day I no-


ticed a barn yard with about a dozen sheep. And there on top of them were Cattle Egrets, Great- tailed Grackles, Brewer’s Black- birds and European Starlings! It seems that all these species had learned the trick and were enjoy- ing an easy meal. The birds were busy probing


the wool and the sheep were happily having these “pests” re- moved. The thing I think I love most about wildlife photography is that you just never know what you’ll see it you just get out there and look!


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