Lesser Goldfinch

[Diane Miller]

These aren't as pretty as the American Goldfinch, but they are what comes to the feeders. (I've only seen one American, and it took one look and bugged out.)

Canon 5D3, 600mm II + 1,4X, ISO 1600, 1/500 at f/10. In morning shade. Basic processing in LR5 and then to PS CS6 for a touch of Pro Contrast and NR and some burning of a couple of areas. This is a "natural" perch in that I didn't set it up, but just noticed they were staging in this oleander beside our deck to come to the feeder, the colors were right and it was in range of my lens.

[Aidan Briggs]

Love these little guys, this pose is so typical of them. Nice bg and exposure. I am thinking a vertical would work better here if you have more room on top. Cropping the sides and adding space on the top and bottom would create a comp more favorable to the finch's pose and the cluster of leaves.

Looking forward to more!

[Shawn Zierman]

Awesome image Diane....one of your best bird/perch images I've seen. The pose shows so much personality, and that coupled with the excellent perch quality...really makes for a standout image of this species...a rarely posted species I might add, and I would trade you many American Goldfinch images for just one opportunity at this species....(It's all in where you are from and how you look at it :)....Have you tried audio for different species at the feeder set up...I find this works fairly well for American Goldfinches, even when they are skittish....(sometimes). One consideration would be to run a little more surface blur or NR on the bg noise.

[Diane Miller]

Thanks, guys! This is 60% of the original frame, cropped from the left and bottom. A subsequent frame was aimed just a little higher and has a little more of the leaves -- I could composite that in but it's not enough to do a vertical unless I crop the two leaves on the right, and I like how they frame the subject. I might be able to do a square.

I generally have the lens foot rotation locked in hopes of a slight edge on sharpness at marginal shutter speeds, and there is rarely time to unlock it and rotate to vertical. Sometimes I can without spooking the subject, but I can't count on it. Maybe I'm being too careful...

I haven't done much with calls -- have tried a few without any success, but did get results with Western Bluebirds last spring. Thanks for the reminder -- I should keep trying.

[John Robinson]

Tiny bit bright on my gear Diane but a delightful picture what ever,
Like it !
JohnR

[Satish Ranadive]

Spectacular image. Very nice pose, beautiful colors, great details and IQ.
I like the leaves parallel to him, nice BG and composition.

Regards,
Satish.

[Diane Miller]

Thanks everyone! Here's a repost with more of the leaves from a later frame where the camera was aimed a little higher.

[Aidan Briggs]

Hey Diane, unless there was enough space above and below to go for a full vertical without the leaves being cut off, I think that your original composition is probably the best choice.

The parallel leaves add a nice design aspect.

Keep them coming!

[Marina Scarr]

Spot on exposure, Diane, and what a fun pose. I am preferring the OP.

[Sandy Witvoet]

Sweet shot and beautiful exposure, Diane. I prefer the OP comp. (and, I'll gladly trade you a bunch of Am Goldfinches for one of these!)

[Diane Miller]

Deal. I'll bring you a shoebox full of them. One day I had a sock feeder festooned with 17 of them. Have only seen three Americans. Had two a couple of days ago and haven't seen them since. Tried calls and they didn't respond.

I can offer a special deal on oak titmice, too. I think they're responsible for half the seeed consumption around here.