Wood Sandpiper Finland

[Austin Thomas]

This was taken earlier this year in what I thought was a remote location in Finland. I had driven for hours without seeing another person or car and then stopped at a bend in a stream, close to the roadside, to take some photographs.

I really wasn't expecting so see anyone whilst lying low in the grasses taking pictures. To my amazement several cars appeared over the time that I was there. The occupants got out, promptly filled their containers with the clear water close to the roadside, got back into their cars and drove off ! I was surprised when this happened once, but after the third car appeared, lets say I was not amused.....

However, it is possible that this bird has become used to the the regular "traffic" flow and maybe that helped me get closer to him than I had imagined possible.

More images from my Scandinavian trip can be found HERE (http://www.austin-thomas.co.uk/blog)
C&C welcome.

Canon 1DMK4, f5.6, 1/500, 500mm

Cheers

Austin

[Randy Stout]

Austin:

I like the lighting, very soft. A bit more over your shoulder would have given more on the face, but it still works for me. The moss/lichen behind the rump is nice, the small point it is standing on, pretty clean water.
I might consider toning down the brightest brown areas above the head, and perhaps just a little on the brighter water reflections around the perch. It does look like it might need a bit of CW rotation.

Interesting story too.

Cheers

Randy

[Arthur Morris]

Why were you not amused? Did the folks scare other birds away? The image is sharp and the EXP good but you needed to move a bit to your right to better parallel the subject and you needed to level the camera by rotating the lens in the lens barrel. I keep a bubble level in the hot shoe when I am not using flash.

[Joe Senzatimore]

Love the low angle and soft light. The comp. makes this a very strong image , IMHO.

[Alan Murphy]

Nice comp and setting. Agree on the rotation and a slight head turn for me.

[Pieter de Waal]

Lovely image with good light, sharpness and background - creates a nice mood. Agree with some clockwise rotation.

[Austin Thomas]

Thanks for the feedback everyone. Always appreciated.


Why were you not amused? Did the folks scare other birds away? .

Artie, This bird disappeared each time a vehicle came to collect water, but thankfully not too far away each time. I was crawling slowly to get closer without frightening the subject away, only for a truck to turn up, the occupant get out and scare the subject away each time. It was just very ironic. I was in the middle of nowhere, yet it was a popular place for locals to stop.

Cheers

Austin

[Craig Brelsford]

Nice shot; handsome species, found here in eastern Eurasia also. I'm adding my vote for a clockwise rotation. And yes, I'd have liked you to have gone a little to the right, as Artie said, assuming that was possible. Interference from people is, as you seem to realize, a double-edged sword. Had people not been regularly going to your spot, then the sandpiper may not have tolerated your approach in the first place.

[Arthur Morris]

Thanks for the feedback everyone. Always appreciated. Artie, This bird disappeared each time a vehicle came to collect water, but thankfully not too far away each time. I was crawling slowly to get closer without frightening the subject away, only for a truck to turn up, the occupant get out and scare the subject away each time. It was just very ironic. I was in the middle of nowhere, yet it was a popular place for locals to stop. Cheers Austin

Thanks for the added info, Austin. I think that you need to thank the folks next time..... Without regular traffic you might likely have scared this one off at the start never to return. I could tell you some stories about folks on the beaches of FLA. Craig is right about the two-edged sword thing....

[Mark Young]

I like your composition here with the bird on the small island.