Loon With Baby Tucked Under Wing Sleeping

I forgot to post this one of the mom. She was sleeping when I paddled up to her early morning. The lump on the image right is the baby tucked under the wing, sleeping. As I pulled around to my right, the baby woke up and climbed out to sit on the back to wake up. Dad then flew in with breakfast!

Imaged from 15 feet away. Cropped for a 9x12 from a landscape. Canon EOS-1D Mark II N, Shooting Date/Time 7/18/2008 04:39:09, Shutter Speed 1/200Sec. Av(Aperture Value) F8.0, Evaluative metering, Exposure Compensation -1/3, ISO 400, Lens: EF300mm f/2.8L IS USM, Focal Length: 300.0 mm. From the kayak.<!-- / message --><!-- sig -->

Great close-up. Could use more space in front. The whites are in check, but I think the face would have benefited from fill-flash (and this would also lighten the beautiful red that these guys have in their eyes.) Love the fine feather detail along top and back of head. I would definitely remove the bright vertical band in the BG.

Nice but tight and another vote for evicting the bright lines in the BG. You really enjoyed the Loons this season!

Another vote to remove the white line in the BG. The low angle is very nice on this one.

Great angle and eye contact. Another vote for more space at the bottom, lightening the head and eviction of the vertical white line in the BG. Is this the chick that didn't make it or were you able to relocate it?

Beautiful details and vue angel, great picture!

Hey gang. This is the momma loon, she lived, and the unfortunate baby that died eventually. I was too nervous about using flash here. After careful reflection, I should have been more bold, and selective, on which occasions to use flash. Next year I will. I too would remove the white band, I just do not know how to do it. Initially I felt the neck band was blocked up and the head way too dark to keep the frame. Believe it or not, the sun was directly behind me in this frame! I kept it after considering this is the only frame of the baby sleeping under the wing I had. I will go for more next year. Thanks for all of your astute observations.