Purple Sandpipers and Dunlin in Flight

[Paul Guris]

A picture of winter shorebirds at Barnegat Light, NJ. As always, any and all critiques are welcome.

Nikon D90 w/ 80-400mm F4.5-5.6
ISO 800
280mm (420mm equivalent)
f/8
1/1600
0 EV

[Dan Brown]

Wow! I count about 30 purples! Looks like a BW. Very nice! Are their alway that many purple sp's up there?

[Paul Guris]

Wow! I count about 30 purples! Looks like a BW. Very nice! Are their alway that many purple sp's up there?

By mid-winter, there are often several hundred Purple Sandpipers. The jetty at Barnegat Light is great for photographic opportunities. It's famous for its close Harlequin Ducks and usually has Dunlin, Black-bellied Plover, and Ruddy Turnstone close as well. Depending upon the day/year, you have good shots at all 3 scoters (especially Surf), Long-tailed Duck, Red-breasted Merganser, Common Eider, Brant, loons, and other waterfowl.

If you go, just be very careful of wet rocks. As you get closer to the water's edge or get out at the far end of the jetty, the rocks can be treacherous. Either stick to the dry ones, or invest in a set of jetty spikes. Korker's (at korkers.com) has them, but I think they call them jetty cleats. I have a pair for fishing and they work incredibly well. I plan to give them a test spin for photography this winter.

[Dan Brown]

By mid-winter, there are often several hundred Purple Sandpipers. The jetty at Barnegat Light is great for photographic opportunities. It's famous for its close Harlequin Ducks and usually has Dunlin, Black-bellied Plover, and Ruddy Turnstone close as well. Depending upon the day/year, you have good shots at all 3 scoters (especially Surf), Long-tailed Duck, Red-breasted Merganser, Common Eider, Brant, loons, and other waterfowl.

If you go, just be very careful of wet rocks. As you get closer to the water's edge or get out at the far end of the jetty, the rocks can be treacherous. Either stick to the dry ones, or invest in a set of jetty spikes. Korker's (at korkers.com) has them, but I think they call them jetty cleats. I have a pair for fishing and they work incredibly well. I plan to give them a test spin for photography this winter.Thanks for the info Paul! I'd love to get up there some day!

[Daniel Cadieux]

Very neat, I had no idea there could be so many Purple Sandpipers at one spot...they always seem so solitary!

You got the flock banking nicely, and I like how they all have relatively similar wing positions. I'd crop to above the white line at bottom to get the whole flock better balanced within the frame, and clone out the lone tail peeking in at right edge. I also find the midtones a tad dark...you can try raising those in "Levels" and then tweaking the contrast if needed.

That is one place that I will surely visit one of these days!!