With a second smokewing out of the picture, the two that had retreated certainly aren't about to turn around. While their trajectories look like straight lines back to the rest of the flock, they're facing away from the light. He'd either have to get very lucky, or shoot them from behind--which may still very well kill them, but also may not.

The ones in the flock, though, they're much further away... But they're circling the fissure in the ground like vultures circling a carcass. The distance would be challenging, but the chances of another headshot are higher.

Given a little more time, the retreating two smokewings return to the group and something about that causes them all to tip, circling tighter and faster for nearly a whole minute before their movements seem to calm back down, and some of them even begin heading for the ground to land.