Pied-Billed Grebe

[Roy Priest]

Taken this morning at Gilbert Water Ranch. There was a family group with two almost grown chicks. Many times they came within my minimum focusing distance.

D700, 500mm f/4 @ 4.5, 1/2500, ISO 800

[Cheryl Arena Molennor]

What a cool shot. I love the flying water and head shake . Nice water colors too

[Randy Stout]

Roy:

I like the composition/framing, sharpness and exposure, splash, water colors.

An unusual and excellent grebe shot.

Hope to see more from your adventure.

Be sure to tell us a bit more about that location.

Cheers

Randy

[Alan Lillich]

Great timing. Every time I see grebes I try to catch their little jump-and-dive, I've never come close. Great light, BG color, pose, and focus to boot.

[dankearl]

The water color, splash, and pose is really nice.
Maybe a bit off the bottom.

[MohsenVahedipour]

Roy,
Excellent IQ & great timing. I like nice pose & soft light, water splashes & lovely water colors. TFS

[Robert Holguin]

Excellent shot. Real great timing, love the splashing water, and great background colors.
Well done.

[Karl Egressy]

Excellent action shot, Roy. It is a pose that is rarely seen or captured.

[Stu Bowie]

Cool pose, and love the splashing water. I really like the striking colour of the BG.

[Marina Scarr]

Killer image and unusual pose. Lovely water and the water droplets really puts it over the top.

[Daniel Cadieux]

Nice pose and splashing action. I see the Pied-billed Grebes do this often...but never within good photo range! Great colours. I'd eliminate the white speck at the 8 o'clock position on the eye. I would also tone down the cyan cast projected on partsof the plumage. Very well done!

[Troy Lim]

Very great shot, amazing colors off the water. Pose and droplets are great.
:)

[Angad Achappa]

Great action here, nice pose as well, since you haven't got the entire reflection, might as well take off a little from the bottom?

[Roy Priest]

Roy:

I like the composition/framing, sharpness and exposure, splash, water colors.

An unusual and excellent grebe shot.

Hope to see more from your adventure.

Be sure to tell us a bit more about that location.

Cheers

Randy

Thanks Randy, I have made it out here about 5 times since I've been down. We finally bought a house and had the house inspection today. Hope to close around mid next month.
Gilbert Water Ranch is located in Gilbert, (Who would have guessed :bg3:) Arizona. It is also know as the Riparian Institute. It consists of seven ponds and one fishing lake, all connected by different trails and pathways. I was told they use the ponds as aquifers, filling them and then reclaiming the water for irrigation as it percolates through the soil/substrate. This may or may not be true but I'm sure there are others on the list that will correct me.
They have a great history of rarities that show up here but most of the birds I've never or rarely seen so they are all interesting to me. There is also a small feral population of Peach-faced Lovebirds here and I have several pictures of them.

[Roy Priest]

Great action here, nice pose as well, since you haven't got the entire reflection, might as well take off a little from the bottom?

Angad, thank you, I think you and Dan have a valid point about a re-crop.

[Dan Behm]

Roy,
Very nice action shot captured here, The angle of the bird displays this action so nicely, congrats on this capture. I might consider truing the whites on the underbelly, but thats hardly worth mentioning, may be do to saturation boost? great work!

Dan