Common Grackle male

[John Chardine]

This is the bronze version of the common grackle. The other version is purplish all over. In the Sackville (New Brunswick) Waterfowl Park, these birds like to sit on the boardwalk railings at this time of year. I like the expression in the eye of this bird!

40D, 500 mm F4 @ F4
capture date: Wednesday, April 16, 2008 65:07 PM
exposure program: Aperture Priority
ISO speed: 400
shutter speed: 1/1250
exposure bias: +0.7

[Lana Hays]

John
The grackle sure has that classic "stare" that I often see. The BG certainly brings out the sheen in the bird. I actually like how the blurring of all but the bird really spotlights the bird and lessens the railing. I might have put the bird a little more to the left just to get him out of the center. Well done.