Black Skimmer skimming

1D4, 700mm
f6.3, 1/2000, iso 800, manual, hand-held.

From my short visit to Nickerson beach last month. What a place!
Wish the water was more interesting, but I liked the full reflection.

This is a minor crop from the top and the left - I chose this unconventional bird placement to retain the skim line (if that's what it's called)

The sun had just peeked out on this cloudy morning, but I was so excited on this occasion that I overlooked adjusting my exposure before taking this image. Had to recover some whites on the flank by about 0.75 stop.

All comment appreciated. Thanks

Wonderful composition. I like the perfect skimming pose and placement of bird.
Love the open beak,colors,details in blacks and whites.
Reflection is beautiful,I can see even catch light in it.Perfect exposure.
Skim line in calm water adds to the beauty of image.

Great capture,Sid. Retaining the skimming line as well as the near perfect reflection make this image. A little more contrast ? .. or is it just my monitor ?

very nice capture,ike the calmness,nice pose.thanks.

Marvelous capture, I wish they behaved like this in Africa:bg3:

Hiu Sid,
You did a great job in recovering the whites.
Great incoming skimming pose and terrific reflection. I love the water "curtain" under the beak.
Agree on a bit more contrast or boosting the blacks in selective coloring by a point or 2,
Gail

Perfect mirror image, and love the skimming along the water, what a unique feeding behavior, great work on this...possibly needs a slight CW rotation to level the water trail

Nice angle and great behavior. I like the trail of water behind him and nice reflection. TFS

Great image. Nice pov, pose and sharpness. The reflection and trailing water just take this to another level.

TFS,
Rachel

Classic Nickerson puddle image...nicely framed. I too would like the blacks a bit blacker. Very sweet image.

Thanks for the comments folks. Appreciate the feedback. I will make the blacks darker.

Wonderful shot. The action typifies the bird. Love the near-perfect reflection.

Nice trail and reflection and great exposure too.. We lost our opportunity for skimmers this year do to the horrible storm.

Hi Sid, Im sure you were very pleased to see this on the back of your camera - I would have been. :w3 Very well timed to get this flying posture, and with a clear reflection to complete the image. Great view of the skimming line, and I feel the placement of the skimmer works well. Great shot. :w3

Hi Sidharth, everything works for me in this image...You did excellent getting this wing position and complete reflection...Placement of bird is perfect. Is it a full frame image?

It's a dream shot at leas for me. Great flight image perfectly executed, Sidharth.

This is way too good. I love the reflection and the perfectly clean water. Awesome photo that I'd love to have among my files too.

Great capture, love the perfect reflection. Nits aside well done
Gen

Over the Top, Sidharth, I don't feel it needs rotation at all, a perfect incoming angle, great water trail and comp.

very nice Sidharth, love the skimming trail!

Thanks all for the kind comments.

Arash, guess you received your shiny new lens yesterday? Looking forward to your images with it!

Sachin, this is a modest crop from the top and left just for comp.

Phil, I didn't level the skimming trail as that would mis-align the reflection.

Thanks again everyone.

Wonderful shot. Excellent skimming action, nice light, exposed very well, and I really like the skimming trail.
Well done.

This image is so classy!
Awesome frame.

Fantastic image Sid, showing off the incredible fishing technique of these Skimmers.

Thumbs up on a fine image Sidharth! Great eye contact, wing position, sharpness, and reflection. I would definitely darken the blacks though.