Purple Martin

[Fabs Forns]

Viera Wetlands, on a cloudy afternoon.

D300, 600/4 VR plus 1.4X
f/5.6, 1/1600, ISO 800
no flash because on frequent rain

[Maxis Gamez]

Hi Fab,

Lovely pose and wings. I find the image a little soft. I would also try to remove some of the noise. Not an easy bird to photograph in flight!

[Alfred Forns]

Love the pose Fabs The slightly raised wing tip really does it for me Elegant !!!

Very fine detail and like it all !!!

[Harold Stiver]

For some reason I find this swallow is very difficult to get a good shot of in flight. This is better than any of my poor efforts. You've done a nice job in a difficult shot for exposure. Nicely done.

[Axel Hildebrandt]

Since I photographed martins a few weeks ago, I know how hard it is to get a good image, especially in light like this. I like the pose and slight head turn.

[Roman Kurywczak]

Hi Fabs,
Nice detail throughout body......but the bill/forehead does look a bit soft on my monitor also. Probably just a tweak........or by this time I'm very tired. All in all ........one excellent capture of this rocket!

[Vincent Grafhorst]

Nits are mentioned, still an awesome capture of one of the most difficult birds to photograph! How much did you crop this Fabs? Another question, I see you used a 600 + 1.4TC, which I would think makes capturing these birds in flight even more difficult. I am not a Nikon user, but to me the 200-400 would seem to be the ideal lens for this situation with its zoom possibility, that is if the birds were close enough to you?

[Fabs Forns]

Nits are mentioned, still an awesome capture of one of the most difficult birds to photograph! How much did you crop this Fabs? Another question, I see you used a 600 + 1.4TC, which I would think makes capturing these birds in flight even more difficult. I am not a Nikon user, but to me the 200-400 would seem to be the ideal lens for this situation with its zoom possibility, that is if the birds were close enough to you?

Thanks all!

Vincent, I didnt have the 200-400 with me and they were quite far up anyway. Not too big a crop, I never know how to estimate the size in %, but fairly big in frame.

[Judy Lynn Malloch]

Don't know how I missed this beauty Fab. Great flight pose and superb eye contact. One of the best I have seen of this species. Big congrats !!!