This is a Pied Cormorant, the big cousin of the Little Pied Cormorant that I have posted recently. It is working on a Fanbelly Leatherjacket (http://fishesofaustralia.net.au/home/genus/915) which is a fish with a leathery skin in place of scales. The fish has a dorsal spine that needs to be broken before the bird can swallow it, which it has done here. A challenging shot hand held at 1200 mm with the bird bobbing about in the waves and battling with the fish.
5D4 600mm F/4L III 2.0X III 1200mm HH
1/5000 f8 iso800 -0.7ev
Cropped, NR to BG, toned down the whites, eye work, light sharpen PS2019
09-13-2019, 10:57 PM
Ian McLachlan
This is very nice Colin .You got those colour contrasts around the eye spot on I reckon..
09-14-2019, 08:24 AM
Joseph Przybyla
Nice work, Colin. Sharp detail on the bird and fish. Your timing was perfect to capture the image between waves. Thank you for sharing.
09-14-2019, 12:05 PM
Jack Backs
Very nice image for the conditions. Too bad the fish wasn't facing you. I don't know about you, but it seems to me that the probability of the fish facing you is only about 20%.
09-14-2019, 01:46 PM
Arthur Morris
Impressively sharp for 120mm. Not possible with Nikon :) Excellent view of the fish.
with love, a
09-14-2019, 03:06 PM
William Dickson
Fabulous detail on both bird and fish....Well captured at that moment...Good colours throughout and I like your crop.
Will
09-14-2019, 05:33 PM
dankearl
Cool POV and nice fish. I would take some off the bottom , maybe 9X16?
09-15-2019, 09:58 AM
John Mack
Well you did very well with the conditions that you are describing. Like everything about this one.
09-15-2019, 07:14 PM
Daniel Cadieux
Wow that is pretty neat! You did well with he conditions described. Yes, those fish sure do know how to get caught facing the wrong way do they!:t3
09-15-2019, 08:40 PM
Tim Foltz
Colin, wow, 1200mm very nice, good details and color, impressive at that range.
-Tim
09-15-2019, 11:34 PM
Paul Burdett
Hi Colin. This is (for me anyway) one of your best shots I've seen. Love everything about this one...the sharpness of the Cormorant and fish, the colours, water, everything, and at 1200mm to boot...you must have a steady hand! I'm fine with the fish facing the other way...I'm sure it doesn't have a happy face anyway!
09-16-2019, 01:28 AM
Colin Driscoll
Thanks for the comments.
Dan: I cropped to include the virtual body of the bird.
Jack/Daniel: yes you would think the odds would be coin toss odds but not with fish or any prey in a beak, always against you. In this case I think the back end of the fish is prettier than the from end anyway. Not that I had a choice.
