Mexican Chickadee

[Walker Noe]

I shot this image in the Chiricahua Mountains of Arizona, the only place in the United States to reliably see this bird. This chickadee was actively bringing food to the nest, and loud chirping inside the cavity here meant hungry birds inside. The lighting conditions and shooting angle were tough given where the nest was.

Postprocessing: Usual sliders, NR to BG, sharpening to bird, crop for composition.

Tech:

Nikon D500 (rented, hope to buy my own this weekend)
Nikon 600mm f4 (not rented, which is why I've had no money for the D500)
ISO 1600
f4
1/500
tripod mounted

[John Mack]

You did well in the tough shooting conditions here. I would tone down the bright background here. Pretty cool never seen a Mexican chickadee.

[Noel Heustis]

Hey Walker - I like the head angle and pose he gave you, and the greens in the background are nice. I agree with John, the bright color on the left is a bit bright. You did a great job in preparation for this shot by getting yourself into the right position given those tough conditions. Looking forward to seeing more.