Grasshopper Sparrow

[Dan Busby]

Caught this little guy on a recent trip to the Carden Plain in central Ontario. I wasn't prepared to have him land so close and my 500 + 1.4X was stretching the MFD and many shots were slightly blurry. This one was fairly sharp. Slight crop and one branch element removed. He responded very quickly to a recorded playback.

7D, 500F4,1.4X
ISO 400, F8, 1/400
No flash or exp. comp.

All comments welcome!

Grasshopper Sparrow image

[Fabs Forns]

PM Alfred or me if you need technical help uploading.

[Fabs Forns]

Got it going, Dan. Very nice pose, though I don't think it is critically sharp either. I like hoe the thin branches frame the bird. Very clean BG and the cutest tongue :)

[Daniel Cadieux]

Yes, these guys can respond quite well to recordings...now knowing this you will be able to back-up before time to be better prepared to frame the subject next time around:).

That is quite the open bill - you got it at the peak of the action! I find the eye a bit soft, with critical focus seemingly on the chest area close to the wing. Great BG, and nice thin perch - like Fabs I also like how it frames the bird.