Avian statue....

[David Roach]

EOS R EF 100-400 I 400mm f8 1/2700 ISO 1250

Came around a corner of the boardwalk and saw a handful of people staring at something down in the rushes. As I walked up I scanned in the direction of their attention and saw nothing. Closer and closer, still nothing. Got to the group and whispered to one person "what you got". "I dunno, but right there" said the onlooker. Still couldn't see it. "Right there" with outstretched finger. Of course, I should have known, it was an american bittern, the statue of the avian world. I always can't see them... until I can. So, I got on the sun angle and waited. The small crowd left and for 20 more minutes I waited (to get a good head angle). Not a single silly millimeter did this avian statuette move. Not even an eye twitch. So much for "birds as art". This must be the in the rushes version of the usual tall grasses pose of staring straight up. Love that plumage!

[dankearl]

I wish that one stalk was not across the bill...but this is where they hang out.
I like the colors.

[William Dickson]

Well done David... I love everything about this apart from the HA. And yes, I would have waited to, hoping for a head turn..maybe a little whistle to get his/her attention. I don't mind the stalk across the bill, it looks natural. Curious to why you chose such a high SS.

Will

[Dorian Anderson]

I like the in-habitat view, but the whole frame is a bit busy. The head angled strongly away is more problematic. If you had direct eye contact you might have been able to minimize the other concern.

[Ivan Sjogren]

Sounds like a wonderful birding experiance David! Bitterns are always hard to see, let alone photograph. You did nice to capture this bird in a typical habitat and good light.
The image would befinit from a head angle towards you as you mention yourself. The straw intersecting with the bill is a bit distracting too but there wasn't much you could do about that. Especially if the bird didn't want to move hehe

[David Roach]

Thanks to all for comments and suggestions. As always very appreciated. In many years of stalking wetlands in the everglades and all over Florida, I have only spotted one of these beauties maybe a handful of times. Frequently, in my experience, they are in tall sedge type grasses which match their camouflage to a tee. Also in my experience they frequently stand very straight with beak to sky when not hunting. Very hard to spot. At least in these mostly green rushes you can spot them easier. I was really hoping for that classic straight up pose. Not to be had on this occasion. Had to get an image of that beautiful plumage though. Once again, thanks for looking and for the helpful comments.
Peace,
David

[Isaac Grant]

Bitterns are so hard to get right. I have full frame shots of them from last year that I never processed because the backgrounds were lousy. Their typical habitat just makes for busy and ugly photos for the most part and I have yet to get an image of one that I am happy with. I even had one waling in a stream this year and right in front of me, but the background was just a bunch of busy tangles and the shots were not good. For me this shot does not work. You have a steep shooting angle, you have a bird that is facing away, and grasses obscuring much of it. Yes this is typical Bittern habitat but it does not make for a pleasing image for me. The only time that I have seen Bittern images where the bird is not looking at you that still works is if you can get them at the edge of the marsh with their heads straight up and when they are acting like the redds they are standing in.

[John Mack]

Typical setting you see a bittern in. To bad the bird didn't turn its head towards you but you know how that goes.