Whimbrel with berry

[gail bisson]

I just bought a new "back-up" camera- the 5D MK IV.
So far, I like it but it is definitely not as good a camera as the 1DX. I do love the increased pixels and the touch screen and lighter weight.
You can crop the crap out of an image and still have 3000 pixels on the long side! Great camera for perched birds but not so much for flight. The images are still nice and sharp for flight but you get less frames so potentially miss out on great wing positions and actions.
I captured this yesterday. I have found an area where there is/was a small flock of about 15 whimbrels. I have been observing them and noticed they like an area out by a cliff and they go there around 5:00PM. The flock has dwindles to 2 birds (as they make their way south) which is actually a bonus because it is easier to isolate the bird.
I am in position by 4:30PM and as long as I crawl on knees or belly crawl, they are very tolerant. But stand up and they are gone. They also seem to hate my tripod , so the second night I left the tripod in the car and hand held the gear.
The BG is the churning sea below the cliff.
Canon 5D MK IV
600mm and 1.4 x
ISO 1600 SS 1/800 F 5.6
PP: 95% FF- took some off LHS and bottom, LR CC and Photoshop CC. Cloned small OOF grass near tail.
Comments and critiques always learned from and appreciated with thanks,
Gail

[Joseph Przybyla]

Looks good to me, love the berry in the bill. The plants also add more interest to the image. I might reduce the contrast a tad, but that is only a personal preference. Thank you for sharing, Gail.

P.S. This bird is one of my nemisis birds in Florida, would love to have a go at them.

[Bill Dix]

What a great pose. Nice clean BG and I love the mini-forest at his feet; a reasonable trade-off for not seeing the feet. The juniper (?) berry tops it off.

[Isaac Grant]

Now that is a beautiful shorebird in habitat shot. Forget the sandy beach, this is great!!! Perfect head angle, the cranberry, the details, that beautiful habitat, this has it all. Unlike Joe, if anything I think this could use a touch more brightness and contrast, not less but that can vary depending on the monitor we are viewing this on. Congrats on the new gear and looking forward to more. Maybe a touch tight on the left hand side, and if you are in a cloning mood (which I have not been at all lately) I would lose the plant on the left edge.

[Arthur Morris]

Very nice. I like my 5D IV way better than either my 1DX or the 1DX II. Different strokes. It is unusual to see a shorebird eating berries on southbound migration.

with love, artie

[Arthur Morris]

ps; He surely looks well-fed!

a

[Geoffrey Montagu]

A beauty, Gail. Great light, and the berry completes the image. Wonderful short plant bed he's standing in.

Geoffrey




http://500px.com/geoffreymontagu

[annmpacheco]

Way to go Gail, what a butterball; bulk. Fattening up for the long drive ahead, Godspeed. I am betting you will like your new 5DMIV more when you know what you can "expect" from it... Hang in there! Lovely habitat and BG, SH, and I like the HA.

[Paul Burdett]

Hi Gail. Not much more to add...great composition, clarity...contrast looks good to me as I see it on my laptop. I really like the habitat too, but would crop out a little more of the lower oof section (personal preference), although that may make the composition too tight there. Are you saying that you also prefer the 1DX for perched birds?

[John Mack]

Your backup is my main camera. The pose is great love the berry and the green really brings it all together.

[gail bisson]

Thanks Isaac. I looked at the next frame in this 4 shot burst and I had more room on the RHS so I have reworked the file and added more contrast as you suggested and was able to include more of the little plant on the edge so it looks better. Thanks again!
I also cropped a bit more from the bottom as suggested and added the sky back in.
Bill- you are correct. It is a juniper berry.
Paul- I have not been out with the new camera enough to really get a feel yet. I have only been out 3 times with the camera. Will update my review in a month or so.
Thanks to all for commenting!

[Alex Becker]

Lovely setting Gail, I like having a bit more foliage on the left on the RP. Very cool with the berry. I think a touch more NR on the background. Details look good. Cool bird I don't think I've seen before as well. TFS

[arash_hazeghi]

great display of the habitat and I ;like the small snack. looks fat and happy!

[Debapratim Saha]

Amazing shot Gail!!

[Isaac Grant]

Repost is better for sure. I like the extra room and the bit of contrast really makes the bird stand out now. Not sure I have seen a better Whimbrel Frame. A real beauty!