Spoon-billed Sandpiper, Full Winter Plumage, Yangkou, Jiangsu

[Craig Brelsford]

People ask me why I'm based in Shanghai. Here's a big reason why . . .

A spoon-billed sandpiper, in full winter plumage, from the expedition last month. Let me describe the experience of finding and photographing this critically endangered species (some estimates place the total number of spooners at just 200). Floating/crawling in the fish pond on my mattress, I distinguish the spooner in the flock of nearly 1,500 birds. I note its behavior; I see it swishing its spatulate bill through the water, quite unlike the manner of the very numerous and superficially similar red-necked stints. Pleasure floods me: "It's a spooner!" My heart starts beating fast. Keep focused, I say to myself; don't try to do too much. I played baseball through high school, and the feeling with the spooner was very much like the feeling of coming to the plate in a tight game. Stay within yourself, my coaches used to say, but on the other hand, seize the moment! I check the settings on my camera; no blunders now! I zero in on the sandpiper. The bird knows I'm there, but is little concerned. It stops feeding and rests near some plovers. I inch my way closer, until I'm just 8.9 m away. When the spooner finally moves out of range, I don't pursue him; I've done enough, and there's pleasure in knowing that my huge harvest came at so little cost to the bird.

Device: Nikon D3S
Lens: VR 600mm F/4G
Focal Length: 600 mm
Aperture: F/6.3
Shutter Speed: 1/2000
Exposure Mode: Aperture Priority
Exposure Comp.: +0.33
ISO Sensitivity: ISO 640
Metering Mode: Center-Weight
Subject Distance: 8.9 m
Vibration Reduction: Not Used
Photoshoppery: Not much. It's a simple photo. The appeal of the image is not so much its beauty, but the close encounter with a highly endangered bird.

[gail bisson]

Well done Craig. I have never even heard of this bird so it really is a treat to learn something new.
What an unusual bill.
Great low angle, good composition and HA.
I would do some clean up in the FG (black blobs) and brighten the picture a bit.
Congrats on getting this species,
Gail

[Ivan Ellison]

I like this image at it shows one of the worlds most endangered species and raises the awareness of more people to its plight ansd hopefully the work of the WWT and other conservation bodies who are doing their most to save this little beaut.In relation to the pic , love the low angle, I do think you have to get down and dirty with waders to show them at their best and have never thought of a mattress- usually a chgange of clothes- although I do now use an angle finder and bean bag,I find this saves my neck from strain.I too would tidy up some of the black blobs on the beach. .they look so diffferent in their winter colours and you did well to pick him out of a large flock.

[Jonathan Ashton]

Craig I know you must have been so elated at the mere site but to have captured this image - well it doesn't get much better than that. This little bird has been recently featured in the BBC Wildlife magazine so I am familiar with it.
I like the portrait, the bill is portrayed effectively, the detail is good. I would consider brightening the eye just a little bit.

[Miguel Palaviccini]

Very neat story and capture. Brighten it up a bit if you can :)

[David Salem]

Congrats on the capture. Never knew they existed. looks like a shoveler /piper hybrid.. TFS. One more for lightening up a bit.

[Stu Bowie]

Hi Craig, just love each introduction you share with us on each image - so informative. I havent seen this species either, but can clearly see where he gets his name from. Good low perspective, nice angled pose, and agree, lightening up the sandpiper will make him pop a little better.

[Daniel Cadieux]

Sometimes, while waiting to see which shorebirds have shown up here locally, we'll humorously say that we are hoping for a "Spoon-billed Sandpiper"...and here you are sharing with us this beautiful specimen, complete with a wonderful account on how you did it and how you felt. Thanks!! Image-wise I'm sure you would have preffered the light behind you , but as you say this is more about the encounter. I still would try to lighten it a bit, and it seems like it may bneed a slight CCW rotation. Hoping to see more of this rare little fella...

[Nico Steenberg]

Nice low angle and great looking bird well well exposed detail captured. TFS

[laurie golden]

I just have to add my thank you for sharing this bird and your story with us. It is a new bird for me and reminds me that I have to look carefully for all potential photo opportunities - you never know when on exceptional bird will show up and sometimes I forget this.

[Karl Egressy]

Great shooting anle, great looking bird nice pose, Craig.

[Arthur Morris]

Sometimes, while waiting to see which shorebirds have shown up here locally, we'll humorously say that we are hoping for a "Spoon-billed Sandpiper"...and here you are sharing with us this beautiful specimen, complete with a wonderful account on how you did it and how you felt. Thanks!! Image-wise I'm sure you would have preffered the light behind you , but as you say this is more about the encounter. I still would try to lighten it a bit, and it seems like it may bneed a slight CCW rotation. Hoping to see more of this rare little fella...

I've seen Broad-billed Sandpiper and Little Stint at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge in NYC and in July 1985 I found New York State's first Rufous-necked (then Red-necked) Stint so nothing is beyond possible with shorebirds.... And David Sibley had a Redshank (I think that that was the one) in Brooklyn....

[Arthur Morris]

As for the image; obviously a great bird. The backlight hurts here. I'd take some off the bottom and selectively sharpen the face a bit. Thanks Craig !

[Gary Kinard]

That is the hardest bird to get a catch light in the eyes. That is actually an excellent shot of that guy. I find them pretty regularly here on the salt pans in Thailand.
But getting a good shot of them is difficult just too small and low to the groung and here on the shallow salt pans.
Is China easy to enter to travel? And photo birds. Off subject.