National Geographic's Photo of the Day

National Geographic’s "Photo of the Day" for June 28 features an amusing wildlife moment: an Australian magpie dive‑bombing a cyclist to protect its nest, taken by photographer Sarah Thompson from the series "Intimate Encounters with Wildlife."

Thompson captured the shot in Canberra utilizing a specialized high-speed camera rig. The magpie’s face, captured at 1/4000th of a second, is tack-sharp, just centimeters from the cyclist’s helmet, who is reacting with practiced evasion.

Beyond the humor, National Geographic used the feature to educate global readers about the complex intelligence of the Australian Magpie. Thompson's work reminds us that the most dramatic wildlife photography often happens on a morning commute.