Smacking water

An enjoyable outing today at Myakka River State Park, Florida. This Roseate Spoonbill was feeding happily along the lake shore. I enjoyed watching it stick its head under the water and then quickly raise its head and smack the beak and send everything flying.
Canon 1D Mark IV, 500mm f/4L II, ISO:400, f/5.6@1/3200, Manual, AI Servo AF, evaluative metering, HH. Cropped about 50%. I kept most of the reflection, not knowing a good place to cut it off.

All C&C welcome and appreciated. For all of you back home, close the doors, bring in a good wood supply and stock the pantry!

Nice capture. Love the water coming out of his beak. Nice low angle. I think I would crop some on the grasses form the FG.

Glad to see you made it to one of my favorite parks, Dan. You are lucky you caught the spoonies b/c they haven't been as active there this year. Love the feeding behavior, the water splashes and what looks like a fish in its mouth. You need a slight CW rotation here, and I agree with Nick on a crop.

Thanks for comments. Here is a slight CW rotation and crop with less foreground grass. I wanted habitat but maybe the real oof stuff in the lower section was too much.

Dan:

Nice repost, with the crop that works well with the grasses. Because the reflection was weak, it wasn't much of a factor.

Fun behaviour, nice shooting angle.

I have been in that area many times, but never spent any time in the park itself. Will have to check it out next time I am in Florida.

Cheers

Randy

Nice action shot, Dan. Love the open beak and shooting angle.

Crop looks a lot better, Dan, but looks as though the image is still leaning to the left.

I'm going to go the other way on the CW rotation. I think the impression is there because of the direction of the waves from back to front, which are moving in a diagonal from upper left to lower right. But looking just at the surface of the water in a horizontal line at the bird's feet, it looks level to me. If others believe I am wrong, can you point out exactly why? Just trying to learn. Thanks!

Dan, I love this image. Great action captured!

Hi Dan,

The goofy look on your spoonbill's face makes me smile :) We probably passed on the highway this morning. As you were headed south to TT, I was headed north to Venice! Hope you had success at TT.