Flight of the yellowlegs - George Decamp - Wildlife Photographer of the Year2007

2007 Animal Behaviour: Birds - Highly Commended

George Decamp Click to enlarge Flight of the yellowlegs

George Decamp (United States of America)

Flight of the yellowlegs

'I was photographing one particular yellowlegs, in New York's Jamaica Bay National Wildlife Refuge, when suddenly a second one started calling nearby. Within seconds, the two of them went for each other, leaping and kicking like kung-fu fighters.' This dainty-looking wading bird is actually a long-distance migrant. It spends summer in northern North America and winter as far south as South America. Each autumn a few lost birds make it across the Atlantic to Europe and spend the winter there, foraging in shallow water for small fish and crustaceans.

Nikon D2X + Nikon 500mm AF-S II lens; 1/320 sec at f4; ISO 200; Skimmer Ground Pod and Wimberley head.