Virginia Rail

[Paul Kusmin]

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3399/3259051795_80fbfbfd2f_o.jpg

Shot this yesterday after work.
Tough bird to get so I jumped at the chance to look for one that had been spotted by birders a few days before.

I would have loved to get a nice low angle but the bird rarely came out from under cover and my shooting position made it impossible.
After 3 hours of standing around, getting sporadic glances and quick shots off whenever I could I thought I finally had something I could take home.

Exposure: 0.04 sec (1/25)
Aperture: f/8.0
Focal Length: 500 mm
ISO Speed: 400
Exposure Bias: -2/3 EV
Flash: No Flash

D300 / Kenko 12mm extension tube / 500mm f4 AFS-I / remote shutter / Jobu BWL gimbal head / Gitzo 3530LS 6X tripod / Wat Krating lens plate brace.

thanks for looking

[Daniel Cadieux]

I'm amazed at the sharpness considering the shutter speed combined with the fact these guys move ALOT. Too bad it didn't glance your way a bit more though. Photographed in their typical habitat...a tough one to prevent some clutter in the BG and surroundings - I just wish the grouping of light reeds above the bird's back was not there. Congrats on getting something out of your waiting game.

P.S. Virginia Rails tend to respond nicely to recorded calls (done judiciously of course).

[Axel Hildebrandt]

Great find and details. I would give it more room and increase contrast. The setting is a bit busy, I might at least clone out the little diagonal branch crossing the bill tip.

[susanschermer]

I have always wanted to see one of these babies. I appreciate how difficult it is to capture them in their favorite environments, so low and reedy. Thank you for posting it anyway. I think you could do some work on the BG to make it a little cleaner looking. Mask out the subject and go to work on the upper part of the BG, and perhaps cropping a little tighter on top.