Since We're Buff-breasting It....

[Daniel Cadieux]

...and that I'm still high on my first ever sighting of one, here's another image from my memorable encounter with a beautiful juvenile Buff-breasted Sandpipert last Thursday on a bonus day off (can you say serendipity?) I just may have a few more to share too, so please bare with me:S3:

Canon 7D + 100-400L @320mm, manual exposure, evaluative metering, 1/800s., f/7.1, ISO 400 (settings histogram checked), natural light, handheld lying down in the muck, a few imperfections in the water cloned and patched out.

[Andrew Merwin]

Lovely image Daniel. I like the reeds & the water droplet caused by the moving raised foot is a wonderful touch. Its simplicity is sublime. TFS.

[Arthur Morris]

Sweet, sweet, sweet. I love the bird, the edged feathers (rendered so sharply)--especially on the top of the head, and of course, the grasses. Yeah, and the raised foot. Some guy once wrote, "When photographing birds, add green whenever possible." You have been doing a good job of that lately!

[Gary Esman]

Sweet shot Daniel! The composition rocks. The birds looks great. love the DOF. TFS

Gary.

[gail bisson]

This is really nice Daniel.
I like the water droplet in front of the foot.
The grasses look great.I love the feather pattern on the top of the head and the low POV. Great blue grey BG.
Now please don't kill me:bg3: but I have honestly never had an issue with the way you do your eye doctoring but... I find the eye a bit weird looking in this image. Did you do something different?
Gail

[Shawn Zierman]

Totally killer. There is such a nice "balance" thing going on with the bird and the vegetation and their spacing....
Some nice details like the slightly out of place feathers on the underbody, the raised foot, the water droplet...
You can "buff breast it till the cows come home", and I would not mind a bit.

[Miguel Palaviccini]

Wow Daniel, I keep looking forward to your images and you never seem to disappoint. Can't wait to see the rest (although I may have spoiled them since I started following your facebook account.)

[Aidan Briggs]

Great all around Dan! The comp works especially well with the raised foot and grass stems. I love the fresh plumage too.

[Arthur Morris]

Wow Daniel, I keep looking forward to your images and you never seem to disappoint. Can't wait to see the rest (although I may have spoiled them since I started following your facebook account.)

Well said Miguel. Imagine if Dan had a good lens and a good camera!!! Only kidding of course. The photographer makes the images....

[Karl Egressy]

This is one amazing picture, Daniel. Arthur Morris describe it very eloquently as to why it is such a great picture. I only add that this shorebird species is the sweetest looking among all the shorebirds, IMO.

[Jack Breakfast]

Simple, elegant, lovely. Another case of a beautiful bird, beautifully captured. Your shorebird pictures have been top-notch. I agree with Gail on this one...the eye does seem too bright here, whereas the eyes in your other images didn't stand out too much...a minor issue, I think...

[Grace Scalzo]

Your shorebirds this fall have such style. This is just perfect with sweet details. Looking forward to more.

[Dan Behm]

This is terrific, the exposure and detail are wonderful, the composition and inclusion of the small green grass blades really take this to the next level, No wonder your stoked, I would be thrilled as well, Great image !

[Robert Holguin]

Superb shot!! Love everything from the pose, to the vegetation, to the sweet light.
Very well done.

[christopher galeski]

Great image,nice pose,sharp with good detail,love the raised foot and water droplet,I have said it before,you and stuart bowie,are masters with this lens.well done.

[Daniel Cadieux]

Thanks all, it's very much appreciated!

There is a brighter reflection on the top part of the eye that upon closer inspection I should perhaps tame down...

[Richard Mc Donald]

Congrats on your Sandpipet Dan, apart from the obvious what I really like about the shot is that the exposure is perfect.

Richard

[Bill Dix]

Lovely in all respects. Great comp with grasses, beautiful bird well exposed, lovely pose with raised foot, super low angle. Keep 'em coming.

[Sanjeevprakash]

Daniel your use of 100-400mm Lens has left me speechless.Everything what has to be said about this image has already been expressed by above posters.All I will add is you've been creating magic with your camera.TFS

[Cheryl Arena Molennor]

I really like this one Daniel. The low angle is so nice and amazing detail.