Tree Swallow

[Rodney Flowers]

73719
I took this picture earlier in the spring, but I just now had time to process it. All comments are welcome.
Canon EOS 7D with the Canon 600mm f/4L IS and 1.4xII teleconverter
ISO 400
840mm
f/8.0 @ 1/640sec
5.7megpixel cropped off or 32% cropped off.

[Fabs Forns]

Beautiful light and bird. NIce whites and iridescence captured. Clean BG and good perch, good HA and eye contact. I may go back on the sharpening a tad. TFS, Rodney, very nice. I may smooth the darker patch behind the bird's back?

[Axel Hildebrandt]

I like the iridescence, light, angle and eye contact. Sharpness looks good on my monitor, I might try to get more details in the blacks.

[Julie Brown]

Hi Rodney. Lovely light and color. It is hard to get eye detail on these guys. I find shooting these birds presents an exposure challenge. Do you lose AF when using the 1.4X TC with this lens on the 7D? BTW, where do you go to shoot birds in Indiana?

[Joe Senzatimore]

You really caught the colors beautifully. Love the BG and composition as well.

[Dan Busby]

Very nice capture of the iridescence and textures Rodney. This really shows off the long smooth wings and clean white underparts. Also a great clean background. Super!

[Rodney Flowers]

Thanks for all the comments.

Julie, yes the 7d will still autofocus with the 1.4x TC on the 600mm f/4L IS USM lens.
In Indiana I go to Celery Bog swamp a lot in West Lafayette. That is where I took the picture of this Tree Swallow. I also go to Prophetstown State Park which is just outside of West Lafayette. Jasper Pulaski Fish and Wildlife Area http://www.in.gov/dnr/fishwild/3109.htm is good from late October to early December for getting pictures of Sandhill Cranes. I have also been to Eagle Creek Park a couple of times in Indianapolis. Muscatatuck National Wildlife Refuge in Southern Indiana is also good. http://www.fws.gov/refuges/profiles/index.cfm?id=31530

[Kim Rollins]

The iridescence that these birds have was captured well. Good clean bg. Pleasant image to view.

[Ofer Levy]

Lovely image!! No need to go back on sharpening or extract more detail in the black - it is all spot on IMHO.

[Kiran Poonacha]

Nicely done, I loved the colors here and good details too..

[Hendri Venter]

Top class detail with great colours and a nice pose. Lovely image Rodney.