Gannet Chick for Lunch...

[Arthur Morris]

On Chris Dodd's Gannets Galore trips we take a Zodiac ride each morning (weather permitting). Here, a juvenile Great Blacked Gull in fresh plumage scavenges the carcass of a Northern Gannet chick that fell from the cliffs above into the Gulf of St. Lawrence to its death. We saw many dead gannet chicks floating about.

Canon 400mm f/4L DO lens handheld with the EOS-1D Mark III. ISO 640. Evaluative metering +1/3 stop: 1/400 sec. at f/7.1. AI Servo AF with the central sensor only.

Don't be shy. All comments welcome.

[Doug Brown]

The water looks like liquid gold! The contrast between beauty and death is quite striking. Just out of curiosity, how do you like the 400 DO? I've heard that sharpness could be better. Thanks!

[Tony Whitehead]

Magnificent water and it suits the colours and patterns of the gull plumage perfectly.

[Ramon M. Casares]

Love the moment captured and the light and colors, althougt some might see this as a sad stiry, I think of it as a vital part of nature's way, I love it as said, I just like the gannet chick to be a bit more recognizable. Congratulations!!!

[Joanna Trescott]

Artie: Great shot -- the water compliments the colors of the gull. I am thinking of purchasing the 40D -- would be interested in your commments.

[Arthur Morris]

The water looks like liquid gold! The contrast between beauty and death is quite striking. Just out of curiosity, how do you like the 400 DO? I've heard that sharpness could be better. Thanks!

We left the dock at 5am and had a clear sunrise. The liquid gold is a result of the reflections of the cliffs. As for the 400 DO, you need to check out the last four or five Bulletins. You can do that by going to the Bulletin Archives. I have been using the 400 DO almost exclusively as my long lens for several months as my shoulder and elbow have been bothering me a bit. Both feel great right now.

If you choose to believe all of the internet experts who never ever actually make images, you would need to quit photography: the 100-400 is soft at 400, the 400 DO sucks, the 40D cannot focus, etc., etc., etc. I just read that crap and smile on the way to the bank to cash the checks made with all the lousy equipment mentioned above...

ps: this image looks screamingly sharp to me; how does it look to you?

pps: Chris Dodds made an image of a diving gannet on this same morning that has BBC Wildlife Photographer of the Year potential. I will do my best to get him to post it here.

pps: Better to go by what you actually see (or experience) than by what you read or hear...

[Arthur Morris]

I'd just like the gannet chick to be a bit more recognizable.

Hey Ramon, I created more than 100 images of this behavior, The gannet chicks float belly up an look like a floating white plastic bag. I was thrilled to get two images where the gull lifted the wing up do that you could actually see that it was eating a bird not a plastic bag. This was the better of the two so be lucky that you got to see the wing. If you would like, I can put a sign on the gannet :) :D :) so that you will know exactly what it is.

[Arthur Morris]

Artie: Great shot -- the water compliments the colors of the gull. I am thinking of purchasing the 40D -- would be interested in your commments.

Joanna, Joanna, You folks really do need to subscribe to our free on-line Bulletins. I have been yakking a ton about the 40D for months. I recently published a full review and a summary of the menu and custom functions that I use. All is not lost: you can see all 268 Bulletins (beginning with the newest first) by clicking on the link for the Bulletin Archives on the home page.

Short story: great digital camera body value ever.

[Harold Davis]

fantastic action captured and the liquid gold water is unbelievable!!! to me those waves are begging for a little CCW rotation. it's just my eye. it'd probably make the bird look funky though.

[Ramon M. Casares]

Hey Ramon, I created more than 100 images of this behavior, The gannet chicks float belly up an look like a floating white plastic bag. I was thrilled to get two images where the gull lifted the wing up do that you could actually see that it was eating a bird not a plastic bag. This was the better of the two so be lucky that you got to see the wing. If you would like, I can put a sign on the gannet :) :D :) so that you will know exactly what it is.

Hahaha.. yeap, I think I would go with that sign! What I was trying to say, as you said above, it's too bad that the gannets flote that way as it is harder to know what it is that the Gull is eating, because the story here in this shot is a bit hard to "read" if you know what I mean, on the other side, as you pointed, the wing tip preety much shows that it is a bird indeed, but not wich one... so please, let me see that sign!!! ;):)

[Raymond Barlow]

exotic looking water, and a very interesting image Artie., did you make any adjustments to enhance the look of the water? I have never seen anything like it.

[Arthur Morris]

exotic looking water, and a very interesting image Artie., did you make any adjustments to enhance the look of the water? I have never seen anything like it.

Aside from the normal Levels and Curves adjustments and my standard 8 point increase in SAT nothing was done to the water; it looked like that... It was Bill Lloyd of California who suggested that we work in close to the cliffs to take advantage of the reflections.

[Arthur Morris]

OK Ramon, I give.

[David Smith]

Artie:

Nice reply.. Reminds of Jeff Foxworthy's saying.. "Here's your sign"..:D

Dave

[Ramon M. Casares]

:D:D:D... that's much better!!! ;)

[Linda Robbins]

That water is simply gorgeous, and I love the plumage on the juvie black backed gull. Very complimentary colors and crisp detail. I have to agree with Ramon...I didn't realize upon first glance that the gull was dining on gannet chick so the last repost was a great help to me......also made me laugh!

________________

Linda

[Juan Aragonés]

Great action Artie, the water is absolutely fantastic and the light very good. I would love to see more of the dead gannet but I am sure that you selected the best image of the series.