Female European Blackbird

[Stephen Stephen]

http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s219/Squidcan/English%20Birds/Blackbird08_01.jpg

I created this image a couple of weeks ago in the patio dining area of a garden centre's cafe (Sussex County, England). The basic profile of this thrush species immediately reminded me of our thrushes including the American Robin.

Canon 40D, Sigma 50-500mm at 266mm, F 6.3, ISO 400, 1/250 sec Handheld. Full frame image.

I suppose that I could have cloned out the OOF green weed & flower. Also I know that a lower angle would have been preferable but I was already getting stares from the other Cafe patrons so I didn't think that I should start laying on the patio stones. :D

I've just noticed that I've got some re-sizing artifacts so I'll likely re-post this since the current image is only 88K in size.

[Daniel Cadieux]

Ha ha, I can just picture you trying to discreetly photograph this bird while other patrons look on curiously :-) I too would leave the greenery, but there is some other debris close to it that could be cloned out. It sure does have the shape pf an American Robin!

[Lana Hays]

Stephen
It reminds me of a thrush as well. Nice job getting this one at a cafe.....well prepared to have your equipment with you. Is the color right on this image? I don't know the bird but is the ground that colorful or should it be more gray?

[Stephen Stephen]

Thanks Lana. I took a look at my RAW files and the tiles (concrete) must have been that brownish colour because the images just before this on was taken were of the English Robin on picnic table that was clearly gray. The blackbird itself was remarkably colourful considering that it was brown in hue.