Black Skimmer

[Joseph Przybyla]

I captured this image at Circle B Bar Reserve in Polk County, Florida. Comments and critique welcomed and appreciated. Thank you for viewing.

Nikon D500
Nikon 80-400mm F/4.5-5.6 VRII AF-S ED HH
1/2000 F/5.6 Matrix Metering EV 0 ISO 450 Auto 1 WB, image captured at 400mm
Post processed in Lightroom Classic, Photoshop CC 2020 and Neat Image for noise reduction
Cropped for composition and presentation

[Bill Dix]

Nice skimmer pose with good habitat. Exposure looks good. I wonder if a bit of sharpening on the head and far wing would bring out a bit more detail in those areas. (Did you use Neat Image on the bird?)

[David Roach]

Details, colors, EXP, framing and environment all spot on for me. TFS

ps
Those water droplets...

[John Mack]

I think that the grasses really make this one. Gives a nice sense of environment. The pose is nice. Detail on the bird looks pretty good.

[arash_hazeghi]

I like the habitat and the wing position, the blacks have been raised / tweaked too much and look muddy. doesn't look like a skimmer in real life, especially in the head area

TFS

[Joseph Przybyla]

I like the habitat and the wing position, the blacks have been raised / tweaked too much and look muddy. doesn't look like a skimmer in real life, especially in the head area

TFS

Hi Arash, thank you for viewing and commenting. This is a Florida skimmer, the feathers bleach out from the sun. All of the birds that are out in the sun a lot have lighter feathers. The sun does the same thing to birds feathers as it does to clothing we wear.

[arash_hazeghi]

Hi Arash, thank you for viewing and commenting. This is a Florida skimmer, the feathers bleach out from the sun. All of the birds that are out in the sun a lot have lighter feathers. The sun does the same thing to birds feathers as it does to clothing we wear.

thanks Joe the ones in CA are also out in the sun but they don’t look like this so might be a local variation

[Joseph Przybyla]

thanks Joe the ones in CA are also out in the sun but they don’t look like this so might be a local variation

Thanks Arash, I think it is. The resident Sandhill Cranes are a light grey color here. The migratory ones from up north have much darker feathers with shades of brown. I think the lighter feathers absorb less heat.

[Brian Sump]

Really nice frame Joe.

Is the yellow in the belly and wing diet related? I don't know these birds very well.

[Joseph Przybyla]

Thanks everyone for viewing and commenting, much appreciated.