This was taken flat in the mud with my trusty 1D2 and 400mm f/5.6. I really wish I could have gotten closer to this really cool bird, he had spunk :). Taken at f/5.5 and 1/2400 with iso:400 lying flat in the mud.
Hi Brian Agree with you Sure wish you could have gotten closer Most of the time they will be running in groups. If one lands you can be sure others will follow giving you another chance.
Dong much care for the second bird in frame Might consider tightening up the image by cropping a little from the bottom and to the green stripe up top Do like the calling pose and wing spread Also good placement in frame !!!!
It is a great pose, as Alfred noted. I can see a benefit from cropping on all sides, top, bottom, etc., but of course you know this since you already said you wish you could have gotten closer.
I like the pose and the composition - sure, getting closer would have yielded another good shot - but I like it as is. Eliminated the second bird and the tree in the background; also felt the image needed a small CW rotation.