Boeing 737-800 (N916NN)

The aviation photographer "spotter gods" were very definitely smiling down on me on this particular morning. If the Reno Air heritage schemebird had been assigned to any other gate when it arrived the previous evening to RON, I would not have been able to get this unique click of it because it would have either been facing "tail on" toward me or this side view of it would have been blocked by other RON aircraft at the terminal.

flawless photo Gary. 10 stars

very good nightshot!!!

Gorgeous shot Gary!

Sam and Uwe .. Thank you, guys. I appreciate your comments very much.
It wasn't just the photographer "spotter gods" that were out there. There was another God there that morning, and He was watching over an entire planeload of people. Right around 6:20 AM, this Reno Air schemed B738 taxied out to 16R to depart. It ended up being in a three-plane queue: a SW B737 (N460WN) was first, then this AA B738, and then a UA B739. The Southwest positioned on 16R and was cleared to go. Just after I heard the tower clear the SW flight to take off, I saw a flock of birds directly across from me landing on the divider between 16R and 16L (the NTZ space) and a few actually landed on 16R. I grabbed my cell and started punching in the number of the RNO Ops Desk and as I did I looked at the SW. It was already into its roll and was moving rapidly. I knew it was way too late for me to call any number so I tossed the cell aside. My camera was hanging from the neck strap; all I had time to do was bring it up, point it toward the SW, and press the shutter. I caught one shot of it just as it was emerging from the area where the birds were. It shows N460WN and (directly behind it) three birds; one has just been struck, a second has a severed wing and is beginning to cartwheel down, and a third is mostly a body impacting the concrete. I followed the SW and it rotated and climbed out normally. The tower had instructed this AA B738 to position on 16R, but then the SW pilots reported the strike. The SW pilots indicated the plane was handling normally and did not seem to have sustained damage. I snapped the SW during its climb and all appeared OK, so I began snapping the runway. It was not OK there; it was carnage. There were birds (and bird parts) in several places along 16R. All aircraft movement was stopped. Ops arrived and immediately closed 16R-34L. This Reno Air scheme was still positioned to go on 16R and the UA was at the hold line. There was at least one bird down in the divider between the runways and regretfully it was still alive. Ops checked 16L and there was no bird debris on it (16L was right below my location and I saw nothing on it either). So N916NN (this one) was repositioned to 16L and cleared to depart. Then the UA departed and a UPS heavy landed on 16L. In the meantime, Ops and a maintenance unit used D-handled scoop shovels to collect and bag at least four birds (including the one in the divider zone that had to be destroyed). I photoed the entire process but after they finished and 16R was reopened, I decided I'd had enough of "spotting' for the day and I left.
The SW flight did not return, and when I checked FA later I saw it had proceeded to destination, so the very fortunate fact is that no people were injured and the plane was apparently OK. But it was a heart-stopping 30 seconds or so when that plane went thru those birds. So a tragedy did not occur, and it must have been because God (or some supreme being) was guarding that flight.

Well done Gary, another great scene. 5*+++

Great shot, Gary! And that is an incredible story! I'm relieved that it had a good outcome, at least for the SW flight. Keep up the great work, eh!

Great picture....10 stars

Mark, Dave, Greg, and Chris ... Hi to you all. And TYVM for commenting.
Greg ... Yeah, the gulls didn't fare so well. An exact number is very hard to determine (there were at least four), but for most of them it was all over in a couple seconds. The "survivors' weren't fazed at all, tho. When Ops and the maintenance man both drove off, a few birds returned to the same spot; I've got them in some pics I took just before I left. There's nothing out there except pavement, so I have no clue why they were so interested in that spot.

That is a great first person account of a bird strike & your attempt to get traffic stopped GREAT JOB.