Great Egret nest building....

[Tim Rucci]

I captured this image on Tuesday at the alligator farm rookery in St. Augustine. There were more flyers that day than I can ever remember, which made for lots of opportunities. I liked this one because of the bright green lore on this particular bird, in addition to the interesting wing position as the it was putting on the brakes to land on the nest. I cropped a little bit off the top and left side of the frame (bird was centered in the original shot). I thought about cropping out the right edge of the photo and just showing the bird, but decided against it because I think it tells the story better leaving it in the frame. I only wish I had captured a little more of the other bird sitting in the nest. I can always re-compose it later if I change my mind.

Photo details: Canon 1D Mk2N, Canon 100-400L IS lens at 340 mm, 1/2000 sec at f7.1, +1/3 EV, iso 400. No flash only because I didn't realize my flash batteries were spent.

[Randy Stout]

Tim:

Remarkable display of splayed primary feathers. Nice stick. Background vivid without looking over saturated.

The whites are very close, but just a bit hot along the front of the neck and head. They show up as burnt in the red channel. Just the tiniest reduction in contrast brought them back.

The head is turned just a bit away from us.

I agree about the nesting bird. As is, I am afraid it doesn't work well at least for me.

Thanks for sharing this good looking fellow.

Randy

[Axel Hildebrandt]

The breeding plumage looks great and the nesting material adds to it. The wing position is not ideal, further up or down would have been better and the clipped bird on the right doesn't work for me. I agree with Randy regarding toning down the highlights.

[Dave Barnes]

Bird on the right does not work for me either. have you thought of a portrait crop?
I like the pose and colours on the bird, it is pin sharp and has good colour. The building material adds interest.