Blue Throated Barbet making nest

[Somdeb Biswas]

Blue Throated Barbet making nest
This Blue Throated Barbet is making a hole in a dead palm tree – almost behaving like a woodpecker. This behavior drew my interest and I tried to portray it through this shot.


(Nikon D500, 500F4 G ED VR, 1.4 TCIII) Exposure Time – 1/800, FNumber – 5.6, Exposure Program - Aperture priority, ISO – 800, Metering Mode – Spot, White Balance – SUNNY, Focus Mode – AF-C.


I appreciate all critiques.
THANKS IN ADVANCE FOR VIEWING & INPUTS.

[Tobie Schalkwyk]

A first see for me. Lovely colors and I love the action!

The direct translation for barbets in my home language is actually 'woodpeckers' and perhaps this behaviour shows why.

Nice shot!

[Jay Ing]

I like the action here. IQ is very good too which is amazing considering the action and the 1/800 shutter. Be interesting to see some other crop options on this too. Very good. Thanks.

[Jonathan Ashton]

Love the action and the wood fragments flying, the eye looks sharp and well delineated, I think the bill is a little less than sharp due to plane of focus perhaps coupled with the modest shutter speed.

[Isaac Grant]

Action and pose are fantastic here. Details look good as well. I agree with Jonathan about the bill. I would run a little noise reduction on the background to reduce some of the graininess.

[Colin Driscoll]

Very good shot with those wood chips flying and a most colorful bird.

[Glenn Pure]

Stunning colour and great action here, Somdeb. I don't mind a bit of action blur on the bill if that's what it is but as Jon mentioned, it could be that the focus point is on the front part of the bird (or even closer). Your moment of capture is excellent with all of that sawdust flying. Good composition too. Very nice work all round.

[Krishna Prasad kotti]

Beautiful Image. I like the bill and the Eye. Nice action as well.

Thanks for sharing.

[Daniel Cadieux]

Excellent action, and the colours are beautiful. You aligned yourself nicely to get a good unobstructed BG. The soft upper mandible is almost certainly due to subject motion blur.

[Somdeb Biswas]

Thanks a ton for your inputs. The day was cloudy and I was struggling with shutter speed. Wish I had a better shutter speed to have the beak too sharp. I think I could have increased ISO to 1250 for that purpose.
with warm regards,
Somdeb