Sensational Sorraia Stallion

Living here at the Ravenseyrie Sorraia Mustang Preserve is incredibly rich with visual delights. From the simple to the spectacular, I love them all, yet perhaps nothing is as awe inspiring as are the many adventures of Altamiro!

In a prior blog entry, I was able to show you a video clip of Altamiro chasing up a pair of Sandhill Cranes. Today, I have two more bird chasing scenes. Let's get right to them, shall we?

The first clip shows Altamiro running after a plover type bird known as the Killdeer. Here is what this handsome small bird looks like:
That isn't a very good photo, but you might remember seeing this bird on one my rock paintings:


And here is Altamiro, doing his best to chase after a Killdeer in flight (you may have to view it more than once, the Killdeer is a very small bird...but I'm sure near the end you will certainly hear him scolding Altamiro for disrupting his peaceful evening):

Actually, I just looked at the video clip in this embedded format, and dang! I couldn't make out the bird flying ahead of him! The size and quality of this format doesn't offer the best resolution...but at least you get the drama of the chase, and then you see him completely "switch off" and walk hum-drum back to where his family band is grazing.

I have found that Altamiro likes me to cheer and applaud his efforts...it seems he appreciates an audience and is providing me with some great opportunities to record his spectacular extra-curricular activities.

Often I will see Altamiro herd his mares into an open area, near the edge of the woods, where he then waits for them to be absorbed in napping or grazing. When he feels the time is right, he begins to cross over the open table land, often with the notion to go over to the east sector and engage in mischief with Mistal's group, like we see here where he encountered his two year old son, Animado. First they play a game of chase:
And then, they flex their muscles like two burly men trying to look more impressive than the other, in between a bit of light sparring. Note their "play faces", the soft eyes, the protruding upper lips:



Whether heading over to expend some energy engaging with the non-family band equines, or returning from his wild, extra-curricular escapades, if Altamiro comes across birds on the landscape, he cannot resist chasing them...in fact he now seems to determinedly seek them out!

This morning, while washing up dishes, I could see him bring the mares to the edge of the nearer west forest, and I kept monitoring him, knowing he'd be soon to come across the open land, which all morning had been alive with seagulls and several pairs of Canada geese. Would I be able to capture a good chase scene?

Yes!

Altamiro began to slowly wander away from the mares and foals. I quickly took up a position on a slight rise of the yard where I could film him. Altamiro noticed me standing there with my camera and came my way first, to receive his usual flattery from his most awed admirer. After we exchanged pleasantries, he stood for quite awhile assessing his next move. He decided to not head straight out to the north, but traveled around the bend and he began his charge upon some seagulls before I was in good position. Not to worry, he gave me plenty of good footage even so. Would you like to see?

I extracted a couple of still images from this clip so we could get a little better look at the sensational Sorraia stallion and those Canada geese on the wing:
How thankful I am to be here experiencing a bit of this sensational stallion's zest for life! I hope you enjoy watching these clips even though I know they take a bit of time to load. One day, maybe I'll work some of these clips into a little movie...I suppose it would go by the title, Altamrio, Bird-Chaser!