Mick Jagger Siskin

[Craig Brelsford]

The city-province of Shanghai covers an area slightly larger than Delaware. At the extreme southeast, on the East China Sea, is Nanhui. Here, far from the skyscrapers, migratory birds pass through on their way up and down the eastern coast of Eurasia. On Saturday, Asif (like me, a BPN member) and I were trying out my new Nikon D3S. Eurasian siskins are numerous in the region this year. When this female got split off from a male, she started calling for him--thus the tongue. Yes, the reeds make for a busy background. But the reeds tell the story of a bird that prefers trees resorting to reeds as it migrates through a treeless area a stone's throw from the sea.

Device: Nikon D3S
Lens: VR 600mm F/4G
Focal length: 600mm
VR: ON
Aperture: F/7.1
Shutter Speed: 1/1250
Exposure Mode: Aperture Priority
Exposure Comp.: 0EV
Metering: Center-Weighted
ISO Sensitivity: ISO 500

[Ákos Lumnitzer]

What a great title mate. Love it! Excellent pose and the tongue in cheek action is fabulous. Well timed and captured. :)

[Gary Esman]

Awesome shot. Agree with Akos! Love the environment here.

[Alan Murphy]

Nice detail and BG colors. The open bill adds a lot.

[Paul Guris]

I think the reeds look excellent and really do add to the image. I think that without them the shot would be very nice, but a bit sterile.

[Pieter de Waal]

Hi Craig nice image. I agree the reeds add a lot to the image IMHO and compliment the colour of the bird. I might consider a little CCW rotation.