Dunlin, unusual plumage

[Melvin Grey]

This beautiful little Dunlin was photographed on one of the Outer Hebrides, Scotland. The bird is coming into breeding plumage but has unusual white scapulars, It was on its way to Scandinavia and was feeding with many other 'normal' plumaged birds. Has anyone seen a Dunlin like this on your side the Atlantic?

Canon 1D Mk 11, 500mmf4 plus TC2. Exp. 1/2000 @ f11, ISO 800, exp comp -1/3
May 20, 07

Thanks in advance for any comments on the image but will you please answer the question if possible.
Melvin Grey

[Gyorgy Szimuly]

Actually a nice detailed image (technically perfect).
Partial albinism may occur randomly in every bird species but quite frequent in shorebirds. I have been dealing with shorebird for over 15 years now and never saw one with those feather combination.

Szimi

[Ramon M. Casares]

Lovely, great light and exposure (did you used flash?) as for what the shadow tells me the sun was preety much up, very nice compo and angle and great and interesting subject, a little CW rotation would help. Congratulations!

[Gyorgy Szimuly]

I don't trust too much on my screen but maybe there is a slight blue cast.
How others see it?

Szimi

[Judy Lynn Malloch]

Wonderful capture Melvin with exellent detail and what a great find. Agree about the slight rotation and I do not see a blue cast on my monitor. Very nice composition and many thanks for sharing this unusual capture with us.

[Axel Hildebrandt]

I've never seen a dunlin like this. I like the details and eye contact and agree on some rotation.

[Melvin Grey]

I don't trust too much on my screen but maybe there is a slight blue cast.
How others see it?

Szimi

If you look closely at the leg reflections, Szimi, you will see that the whole beach is covered in a film of water from the receding waves - the blue is the reflection of the blue sky in the wet sand. There is no blue cast in any of the white feathers.
Melvin

[Melvin Grey]

Lovely, great light and exposure (did you used flash?) as for what the shadow tells me the sun was preety much up, very nice compo and angle and great and interesting subject, a little CW rotation would help. Congratulations!

No flash used, Ramon, also the slope to the left is in fact the natural slope of the beach towards the sea - I could straighten it visually but then the bird would be leaning slightly backwards. Difficult decision - do I crop for reality or for visual appearances?

[Tony Whitehead]

Interesting colour variation, Melvin. Exposure looks great. The rotation thing is sometimes difficult - having been there you know that that was the slope of the beach but for others the slope can make it look angled. The same problem can exist with colour - the light looks as you remember but looks like a cast to others. I would be inclined to CW rotate a little and crop a little off the right and top to reduce the centered look.

[Linda Robbins]

A wonderful capture of this rare individual. Great pose, and the pebble adds interest. Beautiful sharp detail. The bird is a bit too centered, and Tony's suggestion to crop a little of the right and top will improve the composition.

[Melvin Grey]

Thank you all for your comments - much appreciated.