Amazement

[John Chardine]

..... is what this chick seems to be thinking as it watches its parent stretch its gape. Adult gannets and their older chicks perform this behaviour very infrequently and it is short so you have to be at the right place at the right time to capture it. The stretch is adaptive in that adults need to do this when they are feeding chicks and taking in big prey like mackerel.

By the way, gannets must have the smallest tongue in relation to body size of any bird!

Small crop from top and right and sharpen.

Camera: Canon EOS-1D Mark IV
Lens: EF70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM, @ 175 mm
Program: Aperture Priority
ISO 400, 1/800s, f/5.6
Exp. comp.: +0.7

[hennieloots]

Hi John - Like this image. The IQ is good and the sharpness on the eye with the color great. Also adds that "something is happening", nice comical pose and the chick seems impressed!
TFS
Hennie

[Randy Stout]

John:

Fun natural history lesson. Good choice on f/stop, enough to make the chick work,without the other adults being too sharp.

Soft light, great eye.


Is this from Bonaventure Island?

Cheers

Randy

[Marina Scarr]

Super story on this one, John. Love it!

[LinzRiverBalmer]

I too love this, the chick is very comical, but then if you look at the adult by itself, quite comical too.

one of those images that keeps you looking at it.

if possible maybe sharpen the chick just in the right area, where its neck is hitting the OOF white area, or burn that area a bit, the white takes a little focus off the chicks great eyes.

[Robert Kimbrell]

Thats a great look on the chicks face. it adds so much to the shot.

[John Chardine]

Thanks everyone! I am always looking for this behaviour but rarely am quick enough to capture it. It has to happen as you have your lens trained on a bird.

Linz- I like the idea of toning down the OOF white bird behind the chick. Thanks for that suggestion.

[Melissa Groo]

Such a fascinating image, so much to look at here, from the detail in the adult's mouth, to the expression on the young one's face. Super details, IQ and I sure do love the storytelling aspect.