Gropper(Grasshopper warbler

[John Robinson]

Grasshopper Warbler(Known as Groppers by the twitchers)
A very elusive bird at the best of times – never mind to photograph.. was working a sedge warbler at the time, in one of my home made pop up hides and this little fella turned up and started “reeling” 6 foot from the hide Managed to grab a couple before he skulked off. Trouble is this was taken straight into the sun. I quite liked the light in the end though. They never did nest so he must have been passing through. Before he went by the way he started sunbathing which allowed me to get some once in a lifetime pics.
D7100
640 ISO
640^th second @ f9
70-300 Nikor @ 240 mm. Crop from horizontal.
One or two bright stems calmed down a bit.
Thanks for comments on my last pic.
JohnR

[Russ Norwood]

Grasshopper Warbler(Known as Groppers by the twitchers)
A very elusive bird at the best of times – never mind to photograph.. was working a sedge warbler at the time, in one of my home made pop up hides and this little fella turned up and started “reeling” 6 foot from the hide Managed to grab a couple before he skulked off. Trouble is this was taken straight into the sun. I quite liked the light in the end though. They never did nest so he must have been passing through. Before he went by the way he started sunbathing which allowed me to get some once in a lifetime pics.
D7100
640 ISO
640^th second @ f9
70-300 Nikor @ 240 mm. Crop from horizontal.
One or two bright stems calmed down a bit.
Thanks for comments on my last pic.
JohnR

Nicely done John. I envy your opportunity to get the shot.

I think the WB is slightly on the warm side. I'd consider removing the bright green leaves that frame the bird, but of course that comes down to your retouching philosophy. Highlights could be toned down, too. Any chance you could reposition your blind to put the sun at your back?

All that said, I don't have a grasshopper warbler shot and I wish I did. Good job!

Russ Norwood

[Alan Murphy]

Nice detailed singing shot and good job with the backlight.

[christopher galeski]

Loverly capture John,took some images the other day of these birds,waited a hour to get the bird reeling in the open,dont use a hide,probly should.TFS.

[John Robinson]

Thanks all
Russ- thanks for your comments
Firstly I agree about the warm feel but thats when itwas taken, in the evening sun, and as I say -into the sun.The bird was in thick green vegetation which has given the shot an overall yellowish /green feel. But that's how it was.About taking the two green leaves out- well. To be honest thats what I liked about th shot ! Easy enough to take them out but where do you stop ? As for moving the hide- it was set up on something else. The bird was gone in no time anyway. I did get other conventional shots of the bird eeling but this one had tha atmosphere. hanks for your interest.
a few minutes
I enclose a repost
John

[Russ Norwood]

Thanks all
Russ- thanks for your comments
Firstly I agree about the warm feel but thats when itwas taken, in the evening sun, and as I say -into the sun.The bird was in thick green vegetation which has given the shot an overall yellowish /green feel. But that's how it was.About taking the two green leaves out- well. To be honest thats what I liked about th shot ! Easy enough to take them out but where do you stop ? As for moving the hide- it was set up on something else. The bird was gone in no time anyway. I did get other conventional shots of the bird eeling but this one had tha atmosphere. hanks for your interest.
a few minutes
I enclose a repost
John

I understand completely about the leaves. Ah, the irony: I've had similar discussions with fellow photographers in which I take your side of a similar discussion. Tastes differ and that's a good thing. It'd be a very boring world otherwise. I do like your repost a great deal, a substantial improvement to my eye.

Russ

[John Robinson]

Thanks Russ
JohnR

[Jim Crosswell]

I like the calling pose, setting and repost is an improvement to me. Nice image John.

[Karl Egressy]

Nice singing pose and I like the cleaned version, John.

[David Cowling]

Nice calling pose and well done to capture some nice detail against the light.

[John Robinson]

I think the more i look the more I like No 2 !! Amazing isn't it how things look different if you leave them for a while then come back and look again.
JohnR