Canon EOS 5D, Shooting Date/Time 8/29/2007 10:41:29, Shutter Speed 1/640Sec. Av(Aperture Value) F8.0, Evaluative metering, Exposure Compensation -1, ISO 400, Lens: EF300mm f/2.8L IS USM, Focal Length: 300.0 mm. No flash, hand held from the Kayak.
The sun was well on its way up and to my left. I do not normally photograph loons after 9:30 am as the sun is too harsh. I was out practicing with the new 300 2.8 on the 5D as I did not have MK2n yet. This loon landed about 100 yards from me and chased off the double crested cormorant. He actually swam under the water and came up beneath the cormorant and beaked him in the bottom. The cormorant screamed and almost caused me to drop my whole rig in the water.
Then the loon circled my Kayak and then sat there as if to say "you want some of me". I laughed for a brief period as I took his photograph. I got off 6 images and kept 3. He then swam away to the other loon who landed and they went to the other end of the pond.
Its always good to get the green band and good eye contact and you did both! I wish for a bit more room behind the bird and less in front for comp purposes.
A nice image with an attractive pose, Grady. I liked to story line too. Loons can be very aggressive and often do more than just poke an intruder - they swim up underneath and stab them in the abdomen. This can often result in death to the victim whether it be a duck, cormorant, Canada goose, or another loon. This sort of behavior has been documented and published in scientific Journals. Sorry, the biologist in me came out there. :)
Big Bad Loon
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