Red-necked Grebe nesting

[kevin Hice]

Shot this on a lake in the Turtle Mountains of Nd. I have them nest closer to home but easier to find closer to the Canadian border. This one was nesting in open water sometimes they use cattails or rushes to anchor and conceal. Hard to figure how they are successful the eggs lay almost in the water.
I'm sure plenty of losses with storms and water levels rising. Processed with Dpp 4,Topaz noise, Photoshop. Shot from my floatable blind. Comments and critiques appreciated.
Canon 1 DX 111
500 f/4 L Is
700 mm
Av 7.1
1/1250
ISO 2500

[Brian Sump]

Gorgeous Kevin!

I love the habitat you included. The background is stellar and nice choice of pano. Really nice and sharp with great detail in the plumage.

Can't recommend much other than perhaps shifting the subject a touch more left in frame and I could use a sprinkling of color punch in the background (just a personal matter).

Well done!

PS - is that the eye of a chick poking up in the far right?

[kevin Hice]

Thanks for the comments Brian. Not sure what that was I saw it too no chicks not even sure about eggs. Some have eggs under them and others look like they are still nest building. Saw maybe twenty nest and not any chicks yet. Seems late this year.

[dankearl]

Really nice, comp, sharpness and BG are great....

[Dorian Anderson]

This is super nice, Kevin! Love the hella low, on-nest view of this species. Absolutely perfect lighting and head angle, and I like the elongated crop. I could also see shifting the bird slightly left, but it's really beautiful as is.

[Jonathan Ashton]

Super shot I like everything including composition, nothing wrong with the colours but I can also envisage a warmer version making the sky a tad more colourful.

[Kurt Bowman]

Love the low POV, habitat, BG and detail! Another vote for a touch more left, but that is minor.

[Krishna Prasad kotti]

Super frame Kevin. I think the image looks bit washed out for me.

Try adding a bit of contrast using curves.

[John Mack]

Looks great. Nice low angle. Really like those colors in the background.