Red-winged Blackbird at sunset

[Isaac Grant]

Another songbird that is quite common but that I did not have any proper photos of was Red-winged Blackbird. I went to Breezy Point in Queens, New York to photograph breeding plumaged Dunlin and White-rumped Sandpipers that were hanging out but by the time I made the 2 mile walk out the the jetty the winds had picked up to over 30 miles per hour (breezy point lived up to its name!). So I went back to a sheltered puddle and hoped that the shorebirds that were huddled together on the beach in blowing sand would come and seek shelter. Well I had no luck with the shorebirds but this blackbird came in to drink and bathe at sunset. Note that the bird was bathing at the time I took this photo and the head is covered in water which is why it is so shiny. The RAW file looks like that and it is not from it being over sharpened. I sharpen all of my files at .5 and 100 with Smart Sharpen.

Canon 1dx mark ii and Canon 1.4x iii. F8, ISO 1250, SS 1/2500

[John Whaley]

A gorgeous image Issac. RWBB are probably one of the easiest birds to capture and one of the hardest birds to capture a compelling image of. No critique needed. One of the best I have seen. TFS

[Michael Thompson]

stupendous! Love the water drops, low angle , reflection, lighting, colors, spot on!

[Bill Dix]

Nice one, Isaac. Tough species to get just right. Nice that you were able to find that puddle.

[William Dickson]

Looking good. I may take a little from the LHS. Lovely pose and POV. Beautiful detail and those water drops add so much, as does the reds on the reflection. Very nice colours on the BG. The blacks look real good. Nice one Isaac.



Will

[kevin Hice]

Great Issac,very common but an uncommon shot. I don't believe I have ever seen one bathing. Again great capture and different. Nice colors on the background and water.Agree with Will maybe tighten up the left.

[Walker Noe]

Great frame. It's cool to see a common bird done really well.

[Glenn Pure]

Lots to like here Isaac. First is the background including the wavy blue line and the band of blue where the bird is. Bird looks great with nice detail from black plumage to red and cream/white. Not easy to achieve in my experience so your capture and processing look very well done. I understand you point about sharpening and the look of the wet bird. Seems natural enough-looking to my eye. You mention this was a sunset shot. Seems the light was only just becoming golden or you have backed it off a bit? Not sure which. I do like the droplets of water rolling off the bird and the relatively small-in-the-frame treatment.

[Stu Bowie]

Hi Isaac, excellent low shooting angle, and you have nailed the exposure on the blacks on this fellow. I like the show of all the droplets, together with the line of focussed water running trough the frame. Lovely OOF colours to the upper BG too.

[gail bisson]

The blue line in the BG delineating the edge of the puddle adds some nice lines.
Bird look good re:exposure. Good HA.
The stream of droplets falling off the bird are cool.
I would crop in a bit from the LHS. Image feels loooong!
Good POV,
Gail

[Isaac Grant]

Thanks for the comments everyone. I liked all the water in this shot but I get that cropping is a very personal thing and certainly there is no harm in taking some off the left either.