American Bittern

[Wheeler McDougal Jr.]

My wife and I were up at Viera Wetlands this afternoon and discovered this American Bittern. I don't think either of us have ever seen one before. This fellow posed so nicely for us and I spent probably 10 minutes taking his portrait. I removed an offending reed which bisected his neck, but other than that and some sharpening the image is as shot. Hope you all like it as well as I do. Shooting data is as follows:
Nikon D3
2010:02:19 17:08:58
200-400mm @ 500mm
500mm (in 35mm film)
Subject dist: 15.0m
1/125 sec, f/5.6
Mode: Av
Metering: Multi-segment
ISO: 200
White balance: Fine weather
Flash: Off
File size: 63.9MB
Image size: 1677 x 2381
Color space: sRGB
Saturation: Normal
Sharpness: Normal
Contrast: Normal
Color profile: sRGB IEC61966-2.1

[Grace Scalzo]

Wheeler, what a nice image you've created of this beauty. Maybe my most favorite of your work.Nice light, great emphasis of that beautiful feather pattern of the bitterns. The vertical reed behind his beak is a strong, but I don't see what you could have done to avoid it. The composition is a little tight, but that said, sure wish I had this in my files!

[Myer Bornstein]

Wheeler
A very nice picture. I was up to viera earlier this month and found the bittern and have almost the same picture:D

[Steve Canuel]

Nice open shot with good detail and presentation of how well they blend into their habitat.

[Christian Dionne]

Great shot especially since you hardly did any work on it!
About that vertical reed, I would have tried to blur it right where it turns from green to yellow... it may work... or clone it out from the same spot...

Otherwise a great shot!