Long-billed dowitcher

[John Mack]

Long-billed dowitcher grabbing a bite to eat. Image adjustments in Lightroom. Hand held, small crop.

Canon 5D MarkIII
Sigma 150-600 Contemporary
600mm
ISO 800
f5.6
1/1000sec

[gail bisson]

I like the soft muted light and the low POV. Nice color palette.
I wonder if you have a bit more room behind the bird as it feels a bit tight.
I would also add a point of blacks to the neutrals in selective coloring in photoshop if you have it. Adjusting the levels would also be an option to just punch up the bird slightly.
Lovely BG and I like the transition from FG to BG,
Gail

[Isaac Grant]

Nice muted light and shooting angle. Always a treat when the fore and background blend like this.

I agree with Gail about adding some black to the neutrals in selective color. Might add some contrast as well. I would prefer the bird was facing us or that you got it with the bill about to go into or just coming out of the water.

Your bird looks to be a Short-billed Dowitcher to me. Always hard to tell from one picture but points that lean that way are the steep angle of the loral line (much straighter in LBD) , the hint of chevrons on the flanks (deeply barred on LBD) and the arched supercilium (it is straight on LBD).

[John Mack]

Thanks Issac, i couldn't tell which one this was the short or the long.

[Arthur Morris]

Hi John, 100% short-billed. I have never seen a Long-billed Dowitcher at DeSoto :) Best to learn them all here: Shorebirds; Beautiful Beachcombers.

with love, artie

ps: I am pretty sure that your bird is a very worn adult.