A few days ago I was cruising around San Angelo State Park when I saw this bird way up, about 45 feet, in the top of a dead tree. When putting my binoculars on it I realized that it was a Greater Roadrunner,Geococcyx californianus). I also noticed that it had a lizard in it’s beak. Perhaps a Racerunner, (Cnemidophorus sexlineatus).
It was too far for my Canon EOS 7D and 100-400mm lens to get a decent shot, so I maneuvered the car in such a way that I could deploy my big Canon 500mm lens with a 1.4 tele-converter attached.
Greater Roadrunner with prey.
Exposure was 1/2500 sec. @ f6.3, ISO 200. Distance to subject according to my camera data was about 80 feet. Photographed in RAW and processed in Photoshop CS5. Enjoy the photo and if you click on the image you will see an enlargement.
Texas Tweeties by Bob Zeller 
What a great catch! As soon as I saw this photo, I thought of this: http://www.cafepress.com/mf/42240183/never-give-up_tshirt 😉
That’s cute, Holly. Thanks for sharing that, and thanks for the compliment. 🙂
Great photo Bob!! Meep Meep!!
Thanks, David. 🙂
This guy did not want to share his snack! Good catch for you too! Do you always shoot in RAW? Thanks for sharing!!
Thanks, Beth. I shoot in RAW all the time now. I switched from JPEGs about a year ago.
What a neat image Bob, I didn’t think Roadrunners would usually be that high in trees!
Thanks, Mia. I see them in the trees quite frequently, but I don’t think I had ever seen one this high. I guess he scrambled up through some lower branches that had foliage, the sawn daylight when he reached the dead branches.
incredible shot..I do love the Roadrunners..The clarity of the photo is amazing..
Thank you, Syl. I really got lucky with this one. 🙂
Great composition! 🙂
Thanks, H.J.