Northern Water Thrush ?

[James Parker]

I took this shot along the Anhinga trail

D2X
1/200s
F/7.1
400 ISO
80mm to 400mm @ 400

[Nicki Gwynn Jones]

Hi James, sweet looking bird but can't help you with the ID - we don't have them in the UK!!
The composition is lovely apart from the unfortunate branch that goes right into the poor bird's bottom....might also lose the vertical twig on the left. The BG is beautiful. The bird looks a little soft on my monitor too and I can see a slight halo above the back. Please forgive me if I am mistaken - which I could very well be as I do not know this bird - but do I see repetitive cloning marks on the upper part of the wing??
Regards,
Nicki

[Arthur Morris]

The bird is a Palm Warbler. With the harsh light from the high left you were pretty much dead before you pushed the shutter button as the branch and the bird's back are way, way over-exposed. When it is sunny it is almost always best to point your shadow at the subject. The subject is both soft and centered. You did a good job of getting close to a warbler and the head angle is good. I would humbly suggest that the fastest way for you to improve would be to get a copy of ABP II and study it.

[Gus Cobos]

Hi James,
The little guy is out of focus and your image is under exposed. You need to keep the bird in one of the quadrents of 1/3 in your frame. He is too centered. In addition, that branch touching his back by the tail section is a no no...:D

[Harold Davis]

i agree with all of the above here! i have a question for you. did you run noise reduction on this and if so, did you not take the noise reduction away from the bird? you will lose tons of details in the bird if you run the noise reduction over the bird!!