Cormorant in flight

[Austin Thomas]

Sunlight has been at a premium in the UK for most of 2011 and this weekend has been so bad that I haven't clicked the shutter once due to the grey skies and persistent rain.

Last weekend however, I did get a couple of hours of low winter sun which was when this picture was taken. This Cormorant was one of many enjoying the sunshine and this fresh water pool.

I posted recently an image of the same bird, splashing in the water. It did it several times without diving or taking off and I am still not sure of the purpose of the splashing. The image is HERE (http://www.austin-thomas.co.uk/blog/?p=711) for those that are interested or know why it might be behaving in such a way.

C&C welcome.

Canon 1DMk4, 800mm f7.1, 1/2500, ISO400

Cheers

Austin

[Terry Olmsted]

Hi Austin,
Sounds like your weather is much like ours in Seattle!
Very nice sharpness. And good job on the exposure and detail. The background is quite dark, but I think you did well given the conditions.

[Daniel Cadieux]

Sharp with lots of details in the blacks, well exposed and good comp. Ideal wings-up pose. Bummer it rotated its head away a bit...I guess something piqued its interest!

As for the splashing in your other image...not sure what it can be - perhaps it was just happy about the weather!:D

[Bhushan Dalvi]

Austin, nice capture with lots to like in it. I love the details, the raised wings and BG. As Daniel pointed out the HA could have been better. TFS.

[Pieter de Waal]

Austin, like the way you captured him skimming low over the water. Nice detail and good wing position.

[Jonathan Ashton]

Nicely caught Austin, I like the wing position. Regards the washing I suspect he was washing the salt out of his feathers.

[Stu Bowie]

Hey Austin, well exposed on a very difficult character, sharp, with a good flying posture. Nicely separated from the water BG too.

With regards to your other image of the splashing - I have seen it often with various species, and Im sure its a bathing behaviour. Cheers.

[Alan Lillich]

I like the BG, the dark blue water is a great compliment to the bird. Excellent detail in the body and wings, cormorants are tough - at least for me.

[Mark Young]

The light on the bird is nice. I like that you have this glistening look to it.